


Problematic Emotions

by drainbamage954 (cats_cradle6766)



Series: Models and Music [4]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-10
Updated: 2012-11-16
Packaged: 2018-03-08 22:11:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 66,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3225299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cats_cradle6766/pseuds/drainbamage954
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some things in life are simple, logical and make sense. They are practical and rational and process like a math equation or a map. Emotions are not one of these things, and Sehun and Luhan do not find this helpful in the least. Especially when they're forced to face their own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Luhan: 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fourth Story of the Models and Music Series. Written 9~11/2012

Luhan 1

A loud crunching sound makes Luhan pause as he leaves his apartment Friday morning and look down. It’s not entirely common for him to be greeted with the sound of something crumpling beneath his clean shoes upon his departure in the God-awful early morning hours he has taken to leave his apartment at. Usually he isn’t victim to any sort of unnatural things until he sees Tao, which is typically around noon when the head designer shows up on occasion and demands they eat lunch.

At these times, Luhan is subjected to either Tao quietly eating and staring at nothing in particular or dramatically recounting his life with varying degrees of volume, facial expressions, and potential death threats.

Tao says it keeps Luhan young.

Luhan says it gives him wrinkles.

Tao says no one gives him more wrinkles than Kris.

Tao is correct.

Frowning, Luhan bends down, moving his foot away from whatever he’s stepped on and sees an envelope with his name and address printed on it in very messy ink. He picks it up and flips it over. 

It’s from his landlord.

Luhan doesn’t really think about it. His watch tells him he’s late anyway and so he tucks the envelope into his briefcase and walks downstairs, waving to the nice old lady across the street as she puts out food for the stray cats that seem to swarm the neighborhood like flies. 

Luhan doesn’t think about the envelope because he doesn’t really have the energy, the patience, nor the time to. It has been a long week of being the head secretary of EXO M, where he usually takes care of Kris but can’t this week because Kris is being such an ass hole and Luhan really just lost all of his patience for the already impossible man on Monday when Kris had told Luhan that Luhan was a good for nothing pretty face and empty words. 

Despite how Luhan essentially is married to Kris with all the work he does for the other man. 

Despite how Luhan’s life is EXO M and his friends and coworkers.

Despite how Luhan has been putting up with Kris and his stubborn denial of emotions for the past five years with patience and grace and understanding.

And it was the last straw.

What had started with Luhan chucking a stapler at Kris’ head had ended with two chairs broken, a table cracked, and a lot of broken glass everywhere before Luhan had punched Kris in the stomach and stormed from the office, refusing any and all contact unless it was life or death important or business, instead punching the number of the furniture warehouse he got his living room from viciously. They didn’t question much and Kris’ office was restored by lunch.

But Luhan was still pissed.

The week hadn’t really gotten much better, though Luhan had managed to calm the uncharacteristic urge to boil everyone’s liver if they talked to him about something unnecessary. He had nearly screamed in frustration when Ryeowook from _Super Shiny Speed Dating_ had called and told him that they had accidentally mixed up papers and wondered if Kris wanted a man named Chanyeol’s number before slamming his office phone down and then slammed it a few more times for good measure.

Now, Friday, Luhan has been able to get himself under control. Though he is extremely tired. But tired is better than infuriated, and Luhan has never been able to stay angry for long. In fact, he’s pretty sure this week is his personal record.

And being angry is exhausting. 

Luhan arrives at EXO M and smiles weakly at the front secretaries, who look mildly shaken as usual before boarding the elevator to the top floor and making for his desk. There is another giant stack of papers sitting by his phone and he sighs before setting his briefcase down and booting up his computer.

Just another morning at EXO M with its work and models and drama and Luhan holds together everything with tired fingers and in desperate need of a break.

Vaguely, in the back of his mind, Luhan remembers how he used to be such a free spirited young and bright person. 

Luhan doesn’t check to see if Kris is already at work. He knows the CEO is here because he can hear him, practically sense him, pacing in his office and sending out energetic vibrations of foul temper and angst. 

Luhan would pity him if he wasn’t too busy trying to keep the company from collapsing as the CEO has a hissy fit over a relationship he messed up. He’s halfway through progress reports and proposals from Effects Designs when the elevator dings and he looks up, eyes widening slightly as Tao walks out, looking slightly exasperated. 

“This is new,” Luhan says, putting down his papers and watching as Tao approaches his desk. 

“Kris needs someone to punch him into reality,” Tao says.

“And you’re going to punch Kris?” Luhan inquires up at the dark designer, eyebrows raising. 

“Do all metaphors and pulchritudes of speech evade you?” Tao asks, looking at Luhan with severe skepticism. “Buzz him.”

Luhan looks at Tao for a moment as Tao stares steadily at him before sighing and pressing the intercom button. Kris voice comes through terse and agitated. “What?”

“Tao wishes to see you,” Luhan says, keeping his voice even, his eyes on Tao as the designer watches him with calculating eyes. He wonders if Tao can tell he forgot to brush his teeth this morning. 

There is a pause.

“Tell him I don’t need his drama,” Kris’ intercom hazed voice says and Tao sniffs. 

Luhan doesn’t object when Tao leans over his desk and presses an elegant finger against the intercom button, voice serious as he speaks into the microphone. “Open this door, you overgrown child.”

Luhan would open the door if Tao spoke to him like that. Therefore, Luhan is not surprised when the automatic lock on Kris’ office clicks and Tao stands, walking to the door with purpose as Luhan watches him stride into the CEO’s inner chambers without the slightest hesitation or fear.

Luhan, not for the first time, admires him. He also thinks that Tao is probably the craziest person he knows, despite his incredible sanity. If that makes any sense. 

Luhan doesn’t eavesdrop. Well, not too much. Just enough so that he will know if he has to call the police. 

It’s surprisingly quiet. Something that is rare when Kris and Tao are ever together, the combination usually ending in a cacophony of sound and waving arms with a lot of scowling and smirks. Luhan turns back to his reports.

The door opens a few minutes later and Kris walks out with a very determined look on his face and Luhan stares as he is followed by a slightly smirking Tao, who barely glances at Luhan but it’s enough that Luhan knows Tao has been successful in… whatever it is he is doing. He’s just amazed that neither of them seems to be ruffled or annoyed (well, annoyed is used very flexibly here) and there appears to be no bodily harm done. 

They board the elevator and leave Luhan in silence with his reports and the beginning of a headache and a strong urge to drown himself in Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Lattes for the rest of the day. Instead, he finishes the reports before finally unpacking his briefcase and looking in slight surprise and confusion at the envelope that drops onto his desk before he remembers this morning.

The letter looks very innocent. It sits and looks at Luhan while he stares at it with his curious eyes and wonders why his landlord is putting his mail on his doorstep rather than his mailbox. 

Then again, Shindong has always been a bit odd. 

The letter, as it turns out, is not innocent. It is very not innocent. Luhan feels his features turning into a frown and then a scowl and then a grimace as he reads the contents of the letter typed with a few incorrectly placed commas and is slamming down the paper before he’s finished because this is absolutely ridiculous. He punches in the number for his landlord, office phone pressed to his ear as he scowls at his desk and waits for the asshole to pick up.

“Yo,” Shindong’s voice says and Luhan remembers that, even if he dislikes this man, he should be polite.

“Hello, Shindong?” Luhan says and his voice is sweet and perfect and very much his secretary voice. 

“Yeah,” Shindong says and Luhan remembers the man’s complete lack of eloquence. “Who’s this?”

“This is Luhan,” Luhan says. “The resident of apartment 405 C in your building. I am calling because I received a letter this morning that must be a mistake because-“

“There’s not a mistake,” Shindong says, cutting him off and Luhan’s mouth snaps closed. “Well, it was supposed to get to you Friday, but I forgot.”

“No, there has to be a mistake,” Luhan says, and frowns. “It says I’m being evicted.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much correct,” Shindong says and Luhan gapes at his screen saver. It’s of tropical fish swimming across the screen. Luhan always calls the clown fish Nemo and Marvin. Right now he feels a little like Nemo, gaping at reality. “You’re being evicted.”

“Why?” Luhan says, feeling like someone is pushing all of the air from his lungs. It’s not a pleasant sensation. 

“Because you’re behind on rent,” Shindong says and Luhan closes his mouth with a snap. 

“I am not,” Luhan says, feeling undignified. “I know for a fact that my billing is impeccable. I am not behind on rent.” Luhan can hear Shindong shifting over the phone. 

There is a scoff. “No, you’re behind, have been the past three months.”

“I pay my rent,” Luhan says and glares as Marvin changes direction. “On time. And you have no right to evict me.”

“Fine,” Shindong says, and Luhan grins to himself in satisfaction. “I’m kicking you out.” Luhan’s face falls.

“ _What?_ ” Luhan snaps at his phone, already tight patience slipping drastically. Oh, he really doesn’t need this to end his week. “Why?”

“Because I don’t like you,” Shindong drawls and Luhan closes his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, the records I’m looking at all tell me that you’ve been consistently late on rent. Actually, according to these accounts, you never even paid last month.”

Luhan looks around his desk, feeling extremely lost. He can’t really be getting kicked out his apartment. This can’t be happening. “I don’t know why my payments haven’t been –“

“Look, I’m not arguing with you anymore on this,” Shindong says, cutting him off again and Luhan wonders how he has tolerated his landlord thus far. “You have a week to get yourself out. Deal with it.” There is a pause where Luhan just breathes heavily at his keyboard. “Oh, any you owe utilities for August.”

The line clicks and Luhan doesn’t even bother placing the phone on the cradle before slumping face first onto the desk. 

Minutes later Luhan is being jolted from his misery by the elevator door opening and releasing Jongin who essentially impales himself on Luhan’s desk and demands to be fired as he seems to digress into abject panic. Luhan is appropriately shocked and disconcerted. So is Yixing a few moments later as Jongin essentially proclaims his desire to have the other in bed before turning a very interesting color and sprinting down the emergency stairs. 

Luhan looks at Yixing for a moment as the other man seems to be in relative shock, mouth hanging slightly open. Luhan swallows. “Well, now you know he likes you back,” Luhan says, giving a chocked combination of a laugh and sob and Yixing turns to him. 

“Did that really just happen?” Yixing asks, and still looks dazed. 

“I can punch you to prove you’re not dreaming,” Luhan suggests and Yixing seems to ground himself a little more. “Or you could punch me. I’d love to wake up from this nightmare.”

Yixing seems to pause in his inability to actually comprehend the past ten minutes. “Bad day?” he asks finally and Luhan sighs, leaning over his desk and trying to sort through this mess. 

“You have no idea,” Luhan sighs, picking up the phone and effectively cutting of more inquiry on Yixing’s part. Yixing seems to understand, as a moment later he gets back into the elevator with a rare contemplative expression. 

After dismissing Yixing, Luhan had called his accountant. Then called the man who he had hired to do some of his billing because he was busy being married to his work and, by default, Kris. He finds out both of these men are incompetent and spends a good thirty minutes gulping at himself in the bathroom mirror before he accepts that he’s surrounded by horrible and leaves, his desk full of unfinished work, and walks to the design levels, setting himself down in Tao’s chairs and just staring into nothing until Tao once more reminds him of his deceased mother. Luhan snaps and Tao actually shows a significant degree of emotional response. Usually, this would be worthy of Luhan literally patting himself on the back. Instead, he just feels even more tired. 

Luhan stays at a hotel that night because everything is too exhausting after this whole week and, though the dinner Tao had invited him out to had been comforting, Luhan isn’t quite ready to return home and face the fact that he has to move out in less than a week. 

Saturday morning, Luhan wakes up with crazy hair and a nasty taste in his mouth and blearily picks up his cell phone, dialing Minseok’s number and rubbing at his face as the line rings at him. 

Minseok picks up by fumbling for a few seconds and then dropping his phone. Luhan can hear this and Minseok grumbling before the other man’s voice comes through the line. “It is 7 in the morning on a Saturday,” Minseok says, and his voice is cracked with tired. “Why in Hell are you awake? Or, more importantly, why are you calling me and thus making me awake?”

“I’m being evicted,” Luhan says, rubbing at his eye and wondering if he looks as childish as he feels. “Baozi~” he moans into the phone and flops back onto the bed.

“You’re being what?” Minseok says and, as always, ignores the nickname he hates and Luhan loves. “Why the hell are you being evicted?” 

“Because Shindong is an evil bear.” He sighs into his phone and turns his head to the side, pouting at the wall. 

“But how can he evict you?” Minseok asks. “I mean, you’re you. Usually people at least give a warning before they kick you out.”

Luhan groans and rolls over, the hotel robe tangling in his long thin legs. “Shindong has no soul. Plus, my billing boy has the intelligence of clams. Minseok, I’m going to be homeless,” Luhan moans and he can hear Minseok huff at his antics over the phone. 

There are two sides to Luhan. 

Professional Luhan who is calm and collected and cool and perfectly beautiful at work and who most of the world knows as the best secretary ever.

Then there’s real Luhan, who makes many expressions besides polite smiling and rolls around on his bed when he’s upset and likes to annoy Minseok to the point of insanity and tease Yixing mercilessly about his inability to remember anything. The real Luhan who jokes with Kris as the other man looks at him in perplexed amusement. The real Luhan who is basically a child looking at everything with varying degrees of amusement and wonder.

Real Luhan has been greatly overshadowed by Professional Luhan lately. And Real Luhan doesn’t like that, so he pouts a lot and rolls on the bed.

“Are you rolling around on your bed again?” Minseok asks and Luhan stills, face pressed into a pillow, hair sticking up everywhere. 

“No,” Luhan mumbles into fabric and cotton. 

“Oh.”

“I’m rolling around on a hotel bed.”

Silence. “Why are you in a hotel?” Minseok asks, and technically it is a valid question. 

“I’m allowed to step away from the current shit storm that is my life every now and then, aren’t I?” Luhan asks, rolling onto his back before sitting up with a huff, feeling the weight from the past few weeks climb up onto his shoulders and loom there with gargoyle eyes. “Anyway, I need your help. What are you doing today?”

“Sticking orange slices to the wall out of boredom,” Minseok retorts dryly and Luhan snorts. 

“Do you think you might have time to help me go apartment hunting and start packing up my house?” Luhan asks and stares at his black work slacks lying carefully over the hotel chair. 

“You’re not even going to fight this?” Minseok asks and sounds legitimately disbelieving. 

“I don’t know if I can,” Luhan says, and feels tired. He’s been feeling that a lot lately. 

“You don’t know if you can or if you want to?” Minseok asks, searching for clarification.

“Is there an option c?” Luhan asks and Minseok sighs. 

“What time do you need me to come over, Bambi?” Minseok asks and Luhan frowns.

“You know I hate that name,” Luhan says.

“You call me _‘meat bun’_ in Mandarin on a daily basis,” Minseok points out. 

Luhan laughs lightly to himself and it’s quiet. “Fair enough.”

The next week is a blur of phone calls to everyone imaginable and Luhan is stressed as he searches for apartments, moves all of his home into storage, and marvels at how a dating Kris is basically the epitome of ‘honeymoon phase.’ He’s never seen Kris smile so much in his life. And that includes that really weird night they had in Macau where Kris accidentally got high off of mushrooms and Luhan had to take over the business conference while Kris hallucinated butterflies and singing crabs invading their hotel suite. 

That week, as Luhan goes home to his almost bare apartment and eats dinner, he looks at the walls, stripped bare and thinks about himself. He wonders if maybe moving will be good for him. Getting out of the current rut he’s seemed to have dug into his life, where he rarely smiles genuinely and Professional Luhan shows up more than Real Luhan does and he is in a constant state of exhaustion, covering it with coffee and BB cream. 

Over the weekend, Luhan spends his time touring apartments and making phone calls and trying to find somewhere to call his new home. It’s exhausting and he tries to keep up morale as he goes from apartment to apartment and knocks on doors and asks for rent details. He rents the hotel room for the next week.

Luhan’s one moment of lightness is when they go and visit 2NE1 the next week and Kris drags him along for Tao’s sanity, though Luhan knows that it’s secretly because Kris personally can’t handle Tao on his own for extended periods of time. Tao brought Chen though, which doesn’t entirely surprise Luhan, though it does surprise Kris. Tao seems to have taken a bizarre warmth to Luhan and this is comforting at the same time it is extremely weird. 

Tao hates CL. Luhan would hate her too if he didn’t have the strange habit of liking pretty much everyone and giving them far too many chances to redeem themselves. Plus, CL doesn’t seem too interested in him, aside from his face, which she took no time in informing him that he was ‘prettier than most women she knew’ before turning to stare at Kris with the intensity of a hunting lioness.

Luhan watches closely because, though Kris may not notice or realize this, it is not appropriate. 

Kris is the CEO of EXO M.

Kris is dating Park Chanyeol of Planet Records and finally in a relationship which is a fucking miracle.

Luhan hasn’t really met Chanyeol yet. All he knows is that his voice is deep and he makes Kris happy, which, in turn, makes him better at work, which makes Luhan’s job a little easier and the company run better than is has in a long while.

Luhan doesn’t really know CL. But he does know that if CL’s tampering causes problems, Luhan won’t look so pretty anymore. 

Bom seems to share his sentiments, and they exchange a lot of looks over the day while Tao smirks at Kris and Kris maybe realizes CL is a vamp.

Friday night once more finds Luhan in a hotel, paperwork spread over the bed as he tries to organize for the next week. Though EXO M working with 2NE1 is a good call, will allow EXO M to branch out and grow, it is also a shit ton of work. As if Luhan’s plate isn’t already full enough. He’s had no positive offers for an apartment and he feels weary. Which he shouldn’t be feeling, considering he’s not even thirty yet.

On Thursday, Luhan finds Minseok during lunch and asks him if he would mind a houseguest. Minseok asks why him. Luhan tells him his other options.

Yixing. Currently dating and having lots of sex with Jongin.

Kris. Currently dating and probably having lots of sex with a goofy man named Park Chanyeol.

Minseok is surprisingly understanding. Luhan feels relief for the first time since he walked out of his apartment and onto an eviction notice. Luhan stays with Minseok and marvels at how clean the smaller man’s apartment is and spends most of the weekend either pouring over work or poking Minseok in the face with a finger while the other man frowns at him and threatens to throw him out on the streets. Luhan feels a little bit less professional, but not much. Though it is hard to feel professional when your only sleeping options are an ottoman and the floor. 

“Why don't you have a couch?” Luhan asks, frowning at Minseok’s unique choice in living room furniture.

“Because I don’t need a couch,” Minseok says. “I like my chairs. Why would I need a couch?”

“I don’t know, so your guests could sleep somewhere else than on the floor or your ottoman,” Luhan says. Rolling about a makeshift blanket-mattress is not the same as rolling around on a bed. Luhan misses his bed. Or a bed in general. Floors are hard.

Minseok puffs out his cheeks and Luhan pokes them, grinning widely. Minseok just frowns at him even more before grumbling about cheerful assholes in the morning. Luhan makes breakfast and Minseok helps him look for apartments.

Tuesday hits with a lot of force. Force in the form of Chen’s official resignation and Luhan going to try to console Tao seeing as the other man had stormed in looking like murder and demanded to see Chen immediately. Luhan learns that Professional Luhan is very kind and sweet when he wants to be and that Tao and Chen may not verbally communicate well despite their ability to communicate eerily without words. 

Luhan is glad to know he’s not the only one with problems. 

Unfortunately, Chen’s resignation sends Tao into a downward spiral of moody depression and no number of Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Lattes will cure the wounded pride and heart of the designer. Luhan convinces himself that at least he tried while he resists smacking Kris over the head as the CEO once more lapses into epithets about Chanyeol’s inability to make proper facial expressions without his face exploding.

Luhan imagines a bobble head doll with fluffy hair smiling so wide that it consumes half his face.

“As I was saying, about-“ Luhan tries again as Kris stares in repulsively happy silence at nothing in particular over Luhan’s shoulder.

“You would like him,” Kris muses, and his mouth flashes gums. Luhan stares for a moment. Kris never smiles his gummy smile. Never. 

Except that one time when Luhan and Yixing convinced him to watch Anchorman with them and Kris basically found everything Ron Burgundy did absolutely hysterical. 

“Honestly, am I even here?” Luhan asks, dropping his hands to his sides and just staring at Kris helplessly.

“Did you know that he used to be in a band?” Kris comments and is still smiling. “He can play the guitar and drums. He wanted to be a rock star before he and Suho started Planet Records together.”

“Fuck it, I’ll just run the company,” Luhan grumbles, turning from Kris as the other man continues to look dreamily out the window, and looks over his papers.

“Hey, wait,” Kris says, suddenly sitting up. Luhan turns and gives Kris a withering look. “Where are you going?”

“To resign,” Luhan says, cocking a hip and leveling a look at his CEO. “If I have to listen to you moon for another ten minutes over face-exploding Chanyeol-“

“His face doesn’t explode,” Kris interjects, looking slightly bemused. 

Luhan rolls his eyes. “You _just_ said-“

“What do we have on the 2NE1 work?” Kris interrupts and Luhan hates sometimes how Kris can switch on his professionalism like a light. “Did Bom get back to you on the details of the joint show for next month or is CL still giving her problems on that end?”

Luhan raises an eyebrow at Kris, watching the taller man’s face carefully. “You’re going to work now?” he asks, and knows his voice has a bite to it.

“I always work,” Kris says, and Luhan sighs, setting the reports he’s been trying to get Kris to look at for over an hour on the desk before the CEO. “I just happen to be a little distracted at the moment.”

“Really?” Luhan says, with exaggerated facial expressions and intonations and Kris raises his eyebrows slightly. “I would have never guessed.” He face drops and Kris snorts a laugh through his nose. 

“Now who’s the one who needs to loosen up,” Kris comments, and Luhan resists the urge to pull out his hair. Because honestly, Kris now lecturing him on professionalism and stress is the last thing he needs right now.

Luhan has just finished up the day, tired beyond reason but satisfied. He hadn’t slept well the night before, having been woken up three times as Minseok stumbled around in a half inebriated coma most of the night trying to grip the reality that Eunhyuk had been slipping him shots most of the evening so he could try to see if Minseok would admit to any homosexual urges.

It hadn’t worked to Eunhyuk’s disappointment and Minseok had stumbled home grumbling and fallen immediately over Luhan as the other had lain sprawled on the floor in his pajamas. 

It had not been a pleasant night. 

However, Luhan doesn’t comment when Jongin suddenly strides out from the elevator, his eyes glinting in mischief and followed by Yixing, who is watching his boyfriend with a fondness Luhan envies. “Hey, Luhan,” Jongin says as he comes level with the desk, sticking his hands into his pockets and rocking on his feet, seeming anxious to spill whatever it is he came here for.

“Hey, Kai,” Luhan greets, smiling slightly up at the younger as the tan boy grins and rubs at the back of his head, hair flying everywhere. “What can I do for you?”

“Well, it’s not so much for me, but for Tao,” Jongin says and Luhan’s eyebrows lift. This should be interesting. “We want to cheer him up, see, because he’s been really down since Chen left and I feel like he could use a break, get out, meet people, see the world and stuff.”

“What Kai is saying,” Yixing says, coming to stand next to Jongin and brushing shoulders with the younger, causing Jongin to turn to look at him and basically glow. “Is that he is inviting you to come with us because he think’s you’re adorable and knows you’re also close with Tao.”

“I wouldn’t say we’re close,” Luhan starts but Yixing’s laugh cuts him off.

“C’mon, you two have panic parties with ridiculously fancy café drinks,” Yixing says and Luhan smiles faintly to himself. Marvin and Nemo swim across his screen lazily. “And Tao seriously needs some sort of intervention. Chen did not look like he’d been productive when he left this afternoon.”

“So, we’re instigating ‘Operation Tao Cheer Up Alpha’,” Jongin finishes and smiles like he’s a genius and Luhan secretly thinks that perhaps it’s a very good thing he and Yixing are dating. Because they’re mostly both idiots. “Help us?”

Luhan has never been good with people pouting at him. And Jongin, as it turns out, is very good at being cute and pouty when he wants to. Luhan doesn’t have plans anyway, he rationalizes. His sleeping date with Minseok’s floor isn’t that important.

Why Jongin thought bringing Tao to a goddamn fort café is a good idea escapes Luhan the second he watches Tao walk into the door. However, it becomes very clear after about thirty seconds when a man introduced as Baekhyun shows a clear familiarity with Jongin as Luhan sees a whole different side of Jongin and is surprisingly not surprised. 

Baekhyun is very sassy, and Luhan respects that. He also has a tendency to wave whatever is in his hands a lot and Luhan is very thankful he seems to have no knives in his café. He really doesn’t want to know what Baekhyun may look like holding a knife, especially with the way his eyes occasionally glint.

He introduces himself. “Luhan,” he says, feeling Professional Luhan slip easily into place when Baekhyun turns to him. “I’m Kris’ secretary. I’m guessing you’re the one who beat Kris with the pillows.”

Baekhyun smiles, eyes glinting as he looks at Luhan. “That would be correct. Though at the time I wished it could have been something more violent but I couldn’t find my meat tenderizer.”

“You can’t kill people,” Luhan says, feeling like this conversation is very familiar and starts, realizing he’s not the only who has spoken and looks swiftly to the side at the other man in the café. He is tall, thin and his dark hair falls into his eyes as he stares back at Luhan in shock. His eyes are dark, set under long elegant eyebrows, and he has a nice face. Or, as Eunhyuk would say, _'a good face'_ with a suggestive nod and Luhan finds his head cocking to the side slightly as he watches the other boy, Sehun, he remembers, look away quickly and poke determinately at what appears to be bubble tea.

Baekhyun is saying something and Sehun is shooting comments back at him and Luhan finally looks away, feeling tired again and settling with looking at his hands. He vaguely registers the sound of the coffee machine Baekhyun turns on before Tao is snapping him out of his relative comatose state.

“You’re more tired than usual,” Tao remarks and Luhan blinks before running a hand down his face. He forgets he is wearing BB cream today until he feels it smear under his fingertips and grimaces. 

“Minseok came home late last night after drinking and tripped over me.” Glaring understatement. He has bruised ribs. “I appreciate his hospitality, but would prefer if he didn’t step on me every time he walks in too late at night.”

Tao actually almost gapes at him and Luhan marvels at the sight. “Are you sleeping on the floor?” the designer asks and Luhan fights down the sarcastic retort bubbling in his throat. 

“Minseok’s version of a couch is an ottoman,” Luhan says instead and allows his chin to prop on his hand. “Eviction sucks.”

“You’ve been evicted?” Jongin pipes up, and Luhan turns to look at the younger, sitting with Yixing amid blankets and pillows. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Luhan’s eyes roll on their own volition. “Because unlike you I like to keep personal and professional private.” Professional Luhan. Real Luhan. Both Luhan, but just different aspects. Jongin’s mouth turns downward and doesn’t look away, even as Yixing’s hands creep around his waist. 

“Sehun, didn’t you say an apartment had just vacated in your building the other day?” Baekhyun says suddenly and Luhan’s head is whipping towards the other man. Apparently he’s developed a twitch whenever potential housing is involved. 

“No,” Sehun says, his eyes flashing to Luhan, making Luhan’s forehead crease slightly. “I said my brother moved out because he decided moving in with his girlfriend was cooler than living with me.” His voice has a slightly resentful edge to it and Luhan vaguely wonders if he’s pouting though the slight lisp on his tongue.

“Same difference,” Baekhyun says before coming over and placing a large Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte in front of Luhan. There is big smiley face on top of the foam and Luhan resists sticking his pinky into it and giving it minute whiskers. 

“It’s not the same,” Sehun says and Luhan’s eyes once more travel over to the other, watching as he scowls and jabs an over large straw at tapioca balls viciously.

Luhan’s pretty sure that Jongin’s _‘cheer up Tao’_ mission may not really be working, seeing as Tao doesn’t really seem any happier, though he is clearly intrigued by Baekhyun and his apparent serial killer habits.

“Are you staying with Baozi tonight?” Tao suddenly asks him and Luhan looks up, startled from his latte. Tao is watching him closely. He relaxes slightly, shoulders dropping just a bit. 

“I don’t know,” Luhan says finally, and his fingers wrap around the drink in front of him. “I’m still trying to figure out –“

The door to the café opens. 

Chen walks in.

Luhan can _feel_ Tao stiffed beside him. Luhan feels his own hands seize up around his mug and hopes to God that no one’s serial killer instincts are ignited at the moment. He’d heard about the pillow-beating incident and seen Tao in action. And he has enough to deal with as it is.

Chen barely looks at Tao, his eyes flashing to the taller man once as he walks into the café. Baekhyun thankfully isn’t holding a meat tenderizer when he walks to Chen and drops a familiar hand on his shoulder, smiling brightly. 

“Chen!” Baekhyun says brightly and his smile has a lot of volts. Luhan watches Tao scowl into his espresso. Luhan feels it would probably be safer to watch Tao for any signs of immediate danger as Chen drops into a seat next to Sehun, forcing the younger to scoot slightly. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Luhan doesn’t entirely pay attention to conversation. He’s more intent on watching Tao and Chen warily. He listens to their awkward conversation and wonders if he is the only one in the café feeling so goddamn uncomfortable. Probably, considering Jongin and Yixing are oblivious as rabbits. 

Then Tao asks for alcohol and Luhan just stares. Because Tao never drinks. At least not really. Luhan knows this because he’s tried on multiple occasion, mostly when he is drunk himself because he’d never try to coax Tao to do anything sober. Every time he is met with a wall of refusal. 

Luhan isn’t entirely sure what happens, but suddenly Chen and Tao are gone, Chen practically scampering after the designer when Tao makes to leave dramatically and with a lot of attitude and Luhan is left staring at Baekhyun and Sehun (who seems really interested in his bubble tea) while Jongin and Yixing meld into each other and stare at the door.

“Am I the only one who thought that was fucking weird?” Sehun finally says and Luhan could hug him. 

“I found it entertaining,” Baekhyun says, smiling slightly. “It’s nice not to be the one everyone comes to for their horrifically dramatic issues for once.”

“You make it seem like it’s such a burden,” Jongin says, and pouts at Baekhyun while Yixing nuzzles into the side of his neck. Jongin barely flinches, instead pressing back and a smile spreads over Yixing’s face. Luhan has to look away because he may vomit. He ends up looking at Sehun.

Who is looking at him.

Sehun looks away really fast and Luhan wonders if maybe he has whiplash.

“You and Chanyeol are the epitome of burden,” Baekhyun says and Sehun snorts. 

“You are Chanyeol’s best friend,” Sehun says, grinning at Baekhyun.

“He’s still a burden,” Baekhyun grumbles, eyes flitting around the café meticulously. They’re sitting in the front area, where most of the open seating is. Luhan really does have to give Baekhyun credit. His café is incredible. Aside from where they are, the room sprawls back, expanding out into cubbies and corners and areas where various other customers are scattered. The ceiling is high with beams and wires running throughout, blankets and other such fort-aiding equipment easily accessible. 

A couple in the back is systematically putting milk foam on each other’s noses and Luhan finds it annoying as much as he finds it adorable. 

“You’re such a dramatic,” Yixing says as Jongin runs fingers through his hair. 

“I’m just amazing that way,” Baekhyun says, before turning to a girl as she approaches the counter and smiling warmly at her. “What can I get you, sweetheart?” He flashes a brilliant smile at her and she blushes profusely. 

Luhan watches as Sehun rolls his eyes. Finally, Sehun turns to Luhan, and for once it seems intentional. 

“Don’t mind Baekhyun,” Sehun says and leans over the table slightly. “He loves us all much more than he’d ever like to admit.”

“You all seem to know him pretty well,” Luhan observes, his eyes flashing to Jongin, who is now preoccupied. 

“Well, I work with Jongin at Planet Records, and we both work under Chanyeol,” Sehun explains, his hands fidgeting with his bubble tea. “And Chanyeol- do you know Chanyeol?”

“I know he’s dating my CEO,” Luhan says by way of explanation and Sehun’s eyes widen slightly. They’re very nice eyes. “But not personally, no.”

“Oh, well,” Sehun coughs slightly. “Chanyeol drags everyone he knows here because he and Baekhyun are basically soul mates. It just kind of became the place everyone goes.” He pauses and purses his lips. “Well, everyone except Suho.”

“That man could afford to lie down in a fort,” Baekhyun says from behind the counter and Sehun looks over at him. “Maybe then he’d stop smiling all the time like it’s painful and actually relax.”

“I don’t think Suho knows how to relax,” Sehun says before sucking a tapioca ball up the straw. “I think he forgot when he started Planet Records with Yeollie.”

“I always forget you know Suho so well,” Baekhyun says, handing the girl her drinks with a smile and wink that has her blushing again. 

“Only because of hyung,” Sehun mumbles into his tea and Baekhyun rolls his eyes.

“Honestly, your brother has a name,” Baekhyun says, looking exasperated but there is a definite warmth beneath his eyes. 

“No, he doesn’t,” Sehun retorts, glowering at the table. “Hyung’s lose their name status when they abandon you for their girlfriend.”

“Sehun! You’re being a child again!” Jongin yells from his fort of Yixing and blankets. “Why don’t you just find a new roommate?”

Sehun swallows and Baekhyun looks villainous. “Yes!” Baekhyun chirps, practically skipping around the bar counter to plop in the seat Tao vacated next to Luhan and swinging an arm around the head secretary, who jolts slightly at the contact. “Luhan seems to be in need of a place to stay.” He turns that brilliant smile on Luhan as Sehun’s mouth drops open.

Oh.

_Oh._

‘Oh’ forms Luhan’s mouth as realization hits him in the face and he jerks back slightly, hands up in front of him in a clear ‘please no more cake’ gesture. Except he’s not refusing cake. He would never refuse cake. That’s just crazy. “No, no, don't be absurd,” Luhan says, laughing slightly and it sounds a bit hysterical. 

“What? What’s so absurd about moving in with Sehun?” Baekhyun asks lightly, and he definitely has a very villainous glint in his eyes. 

“Well, firstly, I’d have to be okay with the idea,” Sehun says and Luhan’s eyes flash to him. Sehun seems to realize what he’s said and snaps his mouth closed, a faint tint creeping over his features as he looks back at Luhan. 

Baekhyun scowls at Sehun. “You are a heartless person,” he snaps and drags Luhan into his side forcefully, making the other grunt slightly and feel horrifically uncomfortable. “How dare you. Apologize now and tell Luhan to move in with you.”

“Um, sorry but-“ Luhan talking apparently isn’t acceptable.

“I just met him!” Sehun says, looking between Baekhyun and Luhan frantically. Jongin snorts in the corner and the sound is muffled as Yixing presses his hand over his mouth.

“So, it’ll be like college!” Baekhyun says, grinning widely. “Freshman roommates and fun times!”

Luhan thinks that he could kill Baekhyun if the smaller man didn’t have him smushed against his side. “I already went to college,” Luhan says, trying to squirm out of the hold Baekhyun has him in. Baekhyun, as it turns out, is incredibly strong despite his slight size and figure. “I don’t really-“

“I’m in college now!” Sehun snaps and Luhan stares at him. ' _Wow, unexpected age revelations'_ is all that passes through his brain and he’s pretty sure his eyes are mostly large. 

“Well, there then!” Baekhyun says, looking triumphant and throwing his arms up. Luhan, grabbing the opportunity, pulls away as fast as he can and sits firmly in his chair, hands gripping the table in front of him harshly. “It’s perfect!”

“Baekhyun-“ Sehun starts to say but Luhan interrupts him.

“That’s very nice of you but I’m really okay thank you!” Luhan says very loudly and stretches his mouth in an impossibly wide grin and tries to shake off the really awkward feeling that has crept into his skin as Baekhyun and Sehun both turn to him with wide eyes. He continues to smile and feels like a crazy person. 

“Dude, I think you broke Luhan,” Jongin stage whispers from his fort and Sehun shoots him a frown. 

Luhan shakes himself slightly. Professional Luhan is really uncomfortable. Real Luhan is probably brain dead somewhere. He really needs to sleep tonight. “No,” he says, rearranging his smile so it’s less like a crazed clown. “Honestly, it’s fine. I can get a place on my own.” He smiles at Baekhyun and Sehun. Sehun’s face is frowning slightly. “Though it was nice of you to offer up Sehun’s place for him,” he adds to Baekhyun, who grins. 

“I’m the best for a reason,” Baekhyun says and his eyes flash around his café briefly before he gets up and heads back to the counter, passing by the drinks self-service area and picking at a few things.

Luhan looks at Sehun. Sehun looks back and appears awkward. 

“Sorry,” Sehun and Luhan blurt out at the same time and then stare at each other. Luhan coughs after a moment and Sehun’s tongue slides out to wet his lips. 

Luhan decides to try again. “Sorry for saying no so strongly, but-“

“It’s fine!” Sehun says, cutting him off and smiling widely. His eyes all but disappear as perfectly straight small teeth flash at him and Luhan just stares at him. He looks young and alive and adorable and Luhan wonders when he got so old and boring. “Really, I’m sorry for not actually offering up my place, it’s just…” He trails off.

“I just met you,” Luhan finishes for him and Sehun gives a nervous chuckle. 

“If I’d just met you and had an open apartment space, I’d ask you to live with me,” Baekhyun says at the counter and Sehun’s eye twitches slightly as he looks at the shorter man. Baekhyun grins at him and Luhan wonders just how close those two are. He also ignores the suggestive note in Baekhyun’s tone. Because no.

“Baekhyun, are you being suggestive?!” Jongin says, scrambling upright and Yixing lets out a groan. 

“Go back to your snuggles, child,” Baekhyun tells Jongin and the tan boy frowns at him, shoulders slumping slightly. Luhan wonders where Kai went and how Jongin has never shown up on his radar before. 

“Stop sounding like Tao,” Jongin grumbles. “It’s creepy.”

“I am not Tao,” Baekhyun says, and he seems to muse for a moment. “Though he certainly is an interesting character.”

“Think he and Chen will make up and finally actually date?” Sehun asks and Luhan stares. Didn’t Sehun just meet Tao?

“You are creepy when you’re observant,” Jongin tells the other and Sehun shrugs. “Honestly, it’s like some sort of weird quirk of yours.”

“I’d like to think it’s useful,” Sehun says and his eyes flash to Luhan again. Sehun smiles a small smile and Luhan finds his own mouth turning up brightly at the other. 

The next week, as Luhan is drowning in work for 2NE1 and Tao actually smiles around the design levels (which sends Eunhyuk into a panic attack when he first encounters him) his phone rings and Luhan takes two deep breaths before picking it up.

“Hello?” Luhan says, and his voice is professional even as he cracks slightly at the seams.

“Hello, is this Luhan?” says an unfamiliar voice on the other line.

“Speaking,” Luhan says and frowns as Nemo and Marvin swim in opposite directions on his screen. 

“Hi, this is Yoochun. I think that you called and left a message about being interested in an apartment last week?” the voice on the other end of the phone says and Luhan’s suddenly very rapt with attention. 

“Yes, that would be me,” Luhan says and sits up just a bit straighter, phone cradled to his ear with one hand as he scrambles for a pen and paper with the other.

“Well, we just had someone move out this week, kind of sudden like, and I had your name so I thought I’d let you know if you want to swing by and take a look-“

“Yes! “ Luhan blurts out and then bites his lip, trying to keep from exploding because _finally_ something may be going right. There is silence on the other end. “Sorry,” Luhan says quickly, and fiddles with the pen in his hand. “When would be a good time for me to come over and check out the apartment?”

“Well, if you are free today, I could let you in after work or something,” Yoochun says and Luhan can detect an amused note in his voice. “I mean, it can wait until the weekend if you’re busy but…” He trails off.

“I can come by today,” Luhan says and tries not to let the words rush. “Where are you located?”

Yoochun tells Luhan the address and there is a definite glint of amusement in his voice as he speaks, as if he can tell Luhan is a bit desperate and finds it exceedingly amusing. 

At six pm, Luhan ignores Kris and his startled expression as he sprints from the office with a rushed _“I never leave early, shut up!"_ He takes a cab to the apartment building and is pleased to see that it is actually in the neighborhood he had been hoping for. Clean, pleasant, and relatively friendly. Though he will miss being neighbors with Yixing and crashing the other man’s apartment when he’s too lazy to cook for himself. 

Luhan blinks rapidly in the brilliant afternoon sunlight and the man walking out of the brick apartment building, raises an eyebrow at him, flashing an amused grin. “Hey, you must be Luhan.”

It’s not a question. This must be Yoochun.

Luhan smiles, bright and feels like this is genuine. “I am, indeed.”

Yoochun’s eyes shrink as his smile increases. “Awesome,” he says and sticks his hands really forcefully into his pockets as he rocks on his feet. Luhan wonders if he ever combs his hair. “Want to see the place?”

“Please,” Luhan says, and makes an ‘after you’ gesture with the hand not gripping his briefcase tightly. 

The apartment is nice. Clean, large enough, and most of the amenities are new and of good quality. Luhan takes it all in with rising hope in his chest and, after a good almost hour of poking about and shooting questions at Yoochun as he walks around the unit carefully, he finally settles in the kitchen, leaning over the gas stove and clicking it on and off. 

Yoochun seems amused. Either that or extremely high. “So, do you like it?” he asks, and Luhan jerks away from the stove.

“Yeah, I do,” Luhan admits, looking around and smiling at the unit. It is definitely a change from his previous place but Luhan figures that’s probably a good thing. “You said rent was close to three thousand a month, right?”

“Not including utilities and other fees, yeah,” Yoochun says and smiles sideways. “Are you interested?”

Luhan grins widely, feeling lighter than he has in almost a month. “When can I move in?”

Luhan, with Minseok and Yixing’s help, moves in that very weekend. Moving in mostly consists of Minseok and Luhan arguing a lot over Luhan’s furniture choices (“Who has a chaise?” “It’s antique!” “It’s a chaise!” “You think ottomans are couches!”) while Yixing grins in amusement from where he’s sprawled on the couch. Luhan allows this. He does not, however, allow Yixing to sprawl on his bed when they move it in.

“Off,” Luhan says sternly, literally kicking Yixing off his bed as the other man lets out a series of undignified grunts before finally being propelled off the edge of the bed. “No one on the bed except me.”

“What is it with you and your bed, geeze,” Yixing grumbles while Minseok watches, entertained. “It’s not your wife or something.”

“I’d like you to know Beatrice is very offended right now,” Luhan says, patting his Queen sized bed and giving Yixing a pointed look.

Yixing gives him a very patronizing look. “You named your bed?”

“I remember you naming your penis once,” Luhan says and Yixing flushes bright red as Luhan grins in triumph.

“I’m glad I don’t know these stories,” Minseok says, though he is grinning. “I prefer to remain unscarred.”  
Luhan and Yixing beat him with pillows.

Yixing goes home first, grinning like an idiot as he rushed from the apartment, explaining briefly that he’s got to meet Jongin for something or other. Luhan doesn’t entirely pay attention. Judging from the grin on Yixing’s face, it is something the two will enjoy immensely and Luhan would probably not like to hear about. Minseok stays and orders them a pizza, which they eat on the floor despite the fact that they moved the table into the living area around 4:30. 

Minseok tells him it’s a christening.

Luhan says they need alcohol for a christening.

Minseok says he expects too much. Luhan smiles with his mouth full of cheese.

When Minseok leaves, Luhan cleans up. Somehow, and he’s never really been able to figure out why, when you move into a new place you always manage to accumulate a ridiculous amount of first day trash. In this case, a giant bag of papers, used paper towels, the pizza box and a few other random things they had found lying around the apartment. 

Luhan doesn’t entirely mind though. At least he has a place to live now. 

Humming softly to himself, Luhan hops down the stairs of the apartment complex, garbage and recyclables in his hands as he makes for the trash bins by the side of the street. He doesn’t really look around. It’s night anyway, and he’s always preferred looking at things in the sunlight, the brightness of day keeping things bright in his mind. 

Still humming, Luhan lifts the lid off of one of the bins and is about to throw the bag in his hand into the dark recesses of the container when a voice says just to his left “That’s for glass, not trash” and he nearly drops everything. Instead, he keeps some of his composure and spins to the potential assailant, eyes wide as he tries to make out the figure in the dark.

It’s a really familiar figure and it takes Luhan approximately 1.7 seconds before his mind clicks and supplies him with a name. “Sehun?”

The tall boy blinks at him, dark eyebrows furrowing for a moment before suddenly shooting up, his almond eyes widening significantly as he takes a small step back. “Oh, hi!” Sehun says, grinning and laughing slightly. Luhan also grins and doesn’t entirely know why. “Sorry, I didn’t recognize you for a second. It’s Luhan, right?”

Luhan’s smile sinks further into his face as he nods. “Yeah, I met you at RumbleMuffins when Jongin decided to initiate ‘Mission Cheer Up Tao’ or whatever it was. “

“Right,” Sehun says, still smiling before he seems to remember something and his forehead creases. “So, what are you doing here?”

Luhan glances up at his new apartment complex. “I just moved in,” Luhan says, turning back to Sehun and he’s still smiling as Sehun’s face looks slightly surprised. 

“Really?” Sehun says, looking up at the apartment complex as well, mouth open slightly. “Wow, that’s great!” And he beams at Luhan and there’s so much light around him Luhan blinks repeatedly. “It looks like your apartment hunting is finally at and end then. Congratulations.”

Luhan smiles a warm genuine smile. Real Luhan smiles a real smile. “Thanks,” he says, and means it. “So, got and tips for the new guy on the block?”

“Well, firstly,” Sehun says and steps closer, Luhan’s eyes widening slightly as the other moves towards him. Sehun takes the garbage bag Luhan is holding with a curious look. “Trash doesn’t got in the glass bin. It goes in the yellow bin at the end.”

“That's helpful to know,” Luhan says and cranes to look over behind him towards the bin mentioned. “I’ll try to remember that. Anything else?”

“Yeah, don’t ever go to the Chinese place across the street,” Sehun says, and gestures towards the establishment glowing with eerie red lights, the sign flickering slightly. “I’m pretty sure they catch stray cats and cook them instead of chicken. Yoochun has started rescuing all the strays lately and hoarding them in his place.” Sehun pauses. “Yeah, also, don’t ever try to visit Yoochun aside from legitimate apartment reasons. He’s a little unique.”

Luhan suddenly feels an unexpected jolt in his stomach. “Wait, do you live here too?” he asks, and Sehun eyes crease in a smile. 

“I live a few buildings down, actually,” Sehun says, and points down the lamp-lit street vaguely to indicate the direction of his home. “But everyone knows Yoochun. He’s just everywhere.” He flashes Luhan another smile and Luhan feels his pulse quicken. “This is kind of weird,” Sehun continues, running a hand through his hair and laughing, his tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly and Luhan can’t help but stare. 

“Well, we are talking next to trash cans,” Luhan points out and finds himself grinning as Sehun laughs again. 

“True,” Sehun says. “But I was more referring to you suddenly being here in general. I feel like I should do something to welcome you to the neighborhood or something.” 

Luhan’s eyebrows raise. “Welcome me to the neighborhood?” he repeats and Sehun shrugs.

“You know, it’s what nice neighbors do,” Sehun says and Luhan thinks back to when he moved into his last apartment. He had tried to greet his neighbors. He distinctly remembers Taecyeon and WooYoung slamming the door in his face. Nice neighbors are an interesting concept. 

“You could make me a cake,” Luhan says, suddenly grinning widely as he moves to drop his garbage in the proper bins, thanks to Sehun’s guidance. “No one dislikes cake. Unless, perhaps, they have no soul.”

Sehun is frowning slightly and Luhan briefly wonders if he’s said something wrong before the other says, “I’m no good at making cakes. What about a fruit basket? Fruit is good.”

And Luhan is laughing. Actually laughing and Sehun is grinning and shoving him lightly on the shoulder and Luhan doesn’t protest because he’s too amused to care. 

“Hey, you just wait,” Sehun says, voice laughing and eyes disappearing into crescents. “It’ll be the best damn welcome basket of fruit you’ve ever seen in your entire life.” Luhan just bursts out laughing again, shoving the pizza box in and among the cardboard. “You will feel so welcome you won’t know what to do with yourself.”

“Okay, okay,” Luhan says, finally calming his laughter enough to look at Sehun and just smile. “You give me that fruit basket then and I’ll be officially welcomed to the neighborhood. Sound good, Sehun?”

Sehun smiles and it’s cute, somehow significantly softening those dark and intense eyebrows Luhan had first noticed. They chat for a few more minutes before Luhan bids Sehun goodnight, feeling some of the exhaustion from moving all day settling into his bones and he gives a small wave to Sehun as he climbs the steps of his building. Sehun waves back and is smiling. He seems to glow in the darkness. 

Luhan spends Sunday mostly fixing up things around his apartment and putting things into his refrigerator only to take them out again later to put into his stomach. He is not ashamed to say he spent about an hour this morning just lolling about on his bed, wrapped up in blankets and staring at his ceiling, feeling immense relief that he is finally not homeless and sleeping on Minseok’s floor.

On Monday, Luhan opens his door to go to work and luckily looks down before he walks out. 

Lucky, because if Luhan hadn’t looked down he would have stepped on something again, though this time it’s far less threatening and a whole lot more surprising and adorable. 

On the doorstep sits a very nicely wrapped basket, filled with fruits, a few crackers, a box of tea, and some jam. There is a letter suck in the ribbon and Luhan bends to pick it up, smile on his face as he does so. It just says his name on the envelope, so he opens it and reads the message scrawled inside.

 

_Dear Luhan,_

_Welcome to the neighborhood! I hope you like it here and that you like your new apartment and feel like this can be your home. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll make something up. ^v ^*_

_I hope you enjoy the fruit basket. I’m sorry it’s not a cake, but the last time I tried to make a cake I set my moms oven on fire. So you’ll have to be happy with peaches and apples I guess._

_See you around!_

_Sehun._

The letter is signed with a sort of squiggly smiley face in the letters of Sehun’s name and Luhan stares at it, smile almost hurting as it grows impossibly wide and he stares laughing without realizing it. He doesn’t bother checking his watch to see if he’s late as he picks up the basket and brings it back inside, setting it on his dining table and pausing for a moment before dropping the letter in his briefcase.

Over the course of the day, Luhan glances up from his paperwork to his computer, where Sehun’s letter sits just under the power button and Nemo swims by every now and then. 

And Luhan smiles a genuine smile.

-


	2. Sehun 1

Sehun 1

Sehun and his brother were once very close. They would spend a lot of time together and play and Sehun looked up to him, idolized him even, and would often tag along after him like a small energetic puppy. His parents thought it was adorable. His brother found it obnoxious, but was tolerant and kind. When Sehun was six, his brother brought home his best friend for the first time and Sehun was introduced to Kim Joonmyun.

Joonmyun became something of his second brother. But not entirely in a good way. In six-year-old Sehun’s mind, Joonmyun, who always smiled and was warm towards Sehun, had broken that original bond that Sehun had founded with his brother. Sehun’s brother still loved Sehun, that much was very true, but Sehun now had to learn to share. 

Sehun didn’t like to share. But he learned. 

Sehun and Joonmyun were never close, never like Sehun and his brother had been, but Joonmyun was kind and rarely frowned. He had barely questioned it when Sehun’s brother had suggested that Joonmyun hire Sehun as an part time entry-level employee to help Sehun pay off his college tuition. Instead, he had smiled and nodded, looking like the second brother Sehun was never drastically close with, the one he could never fully understand. 

When Sehun started working at Planet Records, he had developed from the innocent wide-eyed lisping boy who trailed after his brother into an optimistic and dryly sarcastic ball of genius. He completed his course work quickly and efficiently, the same holding true for his company work. This was perfect for Sehun, as he much preferred his time at the company to be spent flitting around the place and finding as many people as he could to talk to and, by default, bother.

“Why are you in my office again?” Joonmyun asks, raising an eyebrow at his reports as Sehun pokes at the stress ball on his desk.

“I finished the marketing reports that Yesung assigned me,” Sehun replies, and tosses the ball between his hands. “And I like making you frown.”

“I don’t frown,” Joonmyun says, and his mouth is curved upwards.

“All the more challenge for me!” Sehun chirps and grins widely at the older man. “You’re a never ending hobby. Take it as a compliment.”

“Go bother Jongin,” Joonmyun says, and turns back to his work. “You two get along right? Or go see Chanyeol. I’m sure he has more for you to do now that his work is actually once again filled with enough energy to power a country.”

“Can’t I just stay here with you, pseudo-bro?” Sehun asks and tosses Joonmyun’s stress ball back onto his desk.

“No, get out,” Joonmyun says, though his voice is more affectionate than threatening.

Sehun grins. Since his first month at Planet Records, everyday was a routine. Come in, complete paperwork, get coffee, deliver coffee, bother Joonmyun, steal Kyungsoo’s candy, work with Onew, lunch with Donghae, harass Joonmyun, work with Jonghyun and Chanyeol and get him as side-tracked as possible, get scowled at by Yesung, and finish the day an hour before everyone else and spend the remaining hour wandering around and seeing who needs some Sehun-cheer in their life.

“If you need me, you know where to find me!” Sehun chirps, backing out of the office. 

“Unfortunately true,” Joonmyun says, glancing up from his paperwork and flashing Sehun a grin. “Go find Chanyeol.”

“Suho fighting!” Sehun shouts and flashes a peace sign at the elder, wiggling his fingers and grinning widely. Joonmyun rolls his eyes as Sehun sweeps from the office. 

Kyungsoo looks at him from his desk in vague amusement. “Still no frowns?” he asks as Sehun’s mouth twists in defeat. 

“Some day, some day I’ll make that man’s mouth turn upside down,” Sehun says and bends down to inspect Kyungsoo’s constantly full bowl of sweets. “Why do you even have these? You don’t eat candy.”

“So I can attract small children that I can kidnap and cook in my oven to fulfill my cannibalistic desires,” Kyungsoo says dryly and Sehun makes a dramatic gasp as his hands fly to his chest. 

“I knew the caring mother-like tendencies were a cover for your vicious inner sadist,” Sehun says and Kyungsoo snorts.

“You’ve got me,” the secretary says. “Now choose one and go. Some of us actually have significant work to do.”

“You all work too hard,” Sehun says, grabbing a chocolate flavored sweet and tapping Kyungsoo’s desk. 

“Go find Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo says, and grins as he shoos Sehun away to the elevators. “Get him to do work so he can give you work!”

Sehun hops into the elevator and cocks his head at Kyungsoo, who is still grinning at him. “Maybe he’s mooning over Kris again?”

“Then hit him with his keyboard,” Kyungsoo says as the elevator doors close. “Or get Leeteuk to chaperone him!”

Sehun doesn’t reply, just smiles as the door closes and takes him down five floors to the recording department. Chanyeol is half lounging in his chair when Sehun finds him, papers lying everywhere as his feet rest on his desk, arms hanging limply over the side of the chair and the report Sehun gave him this morning lying on his face. He doesn’t even move when Sehun comes in and plops down opposite him. 

“Suho says you need to give me a task,” Sehun says and watches as the paper moves on Chanyeol’s face from his breathing.

“You’re not even in my department,” Chanyeol says, and the paper flutters. “Go bother Onew or Amber.”

“It’s afternoon,” Sehun says and lounges in the vacant office chair opposite Chanyeol, throwing his feet up on the desk in mimic of the older man. “I’m all yours unless something else comes up and Yesung pulls me back to Marketing.”

“What do you even do here anyway?” Jonghyun says from the soundboards he’s fiddling with, headphones resting only over one ear. “Honestly, what is your job?”

“To bother Suho, duh,” Chanyeol says and the paper falls off his face. His eyes are closed and he’s smiling broadly at nothing. “I thought everyone knew that.”

Jonghyun snorts into the equalizer and Sehun’s mouth twitches. 

“You’re happy,” Sehun comments and one of Chanyeol’s eyes opens to look at him. 

“I’m always happy,” Chanyeol says and his smile turns into half of his face. “I’m not Happy Virus for nothing.”

“I don’t want your disease, ever,” Yesung says as he walks in, a stack of papers in his arms that he drops unceremoniously onto Chanyeol’s desk, causing the Recording Department Head to look up at him with wide eyes. “It’d kill normal people. I don’t know how you two survive,” he adds, looking between Sehun and Jonghyun. 

“Aw, come on,” Jonghyun says, slouching over the soundboard. “How can you not love Chanyeol? He’s basically personified rainbows.”

“ _Aw, I love you, too, Jonghyun!_ ” Chanyeol says loudly and stretches his arms toward the other, earning a wide grin.

“I hate you all,” Yesung says and gives Sehun a look. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“I am working,” Sehun says, and flashes his superior a peace sign. “See?” He picks up an iPad and pokes at it. “Working, working, working, look at that productivity!”

“It’s a miracle you all have jobs,” Yesung says and stalks from the room, frowning. 

“It’s a miracle you get laid!” Jonghyun yells after the older man’s back and Sehun grins as Yesung’s shoulders tense. 

“Smooth,” Sehun says, turning to Jonghyun, who flashes him a grin.

“Dude deserves the shit he gets handed to him on a daily basis,” Jonghyun says, shrugging and sitting back, fingers flying over the machine before him. “Yo Yeollie, did you go over Chen’s latest stuff yet?”

“Yeah, I did that last night before peacing,” Chanyeol says, stretching his arms to the ceiling and flexing his fingers. “I have nice hands,” he remarks, grinning up at his digits. He turns to look at Sehun. “Do you want to admire my hands? I’ll allow you if you want to. Just don’t fall in love with them. They’re taken.”

“I’m all set,” Sehun says, smiling at Chanyeol and the elder shrugs. “But I’ll be sure to let you know if the urge takes me.”

“You have to be careful when talking about urges,” Jonghyun says, glancing up.

“Jongin’s not here,” Sehun points out. “He’s always at EXO-M afternoons.”

“You never know where he might be lurking though,” Jonghyun says with a strange look and Sehun stares for a moment before snorting into laughter. The sudden vibration in his pocket has him jumping slightly, laughter choking his throat as he drags his phone from his pocket. _DANSU MASHEEN KAI_ flashes on the screen and Sehun blinks for a moment before turning to Jonghyun. “How do you do that?” he asks in disbelief.

“It’s a gift,” Jonghyun says, smiling wryly before his expression shifts swiftly to confusion. “Wait, do what?”

Sehun doesn’t answer, just flips open his phone and puts it to his ear. He doesn’t bother checking with Chanyeol to see if it’s okay. The older man is currently making very interesting facial expressions at the ceiling while apparently conducting the sheetrock. “Yo, what’s up, Kamjong?” Sehun says into the phone and Jonghyun snorts into the balancing knobs.

“Hey Senshine, how you glowing today?” Jongin says over the line and Sehun leans back in the office chair, rolling slightly on the floor. 

“Oh, you know, just chilling with Chanyeol and Jonghyun,” Sehun replies and smiles at nothing. “How are the models today?”

“Gorgeous, as usual,” Jongin says before he clears his throat. “Actually, I need a favor.”

“Obviously,” Sehun says, and rolls his eyes. “Why else would you be calling me?”

“Hey, you make it sound like I’m taking advantage of you,” Jongin says, and his voice pouts.

“Don't worry, I won’t tell Yixing,” Sehun says and grins as he hears Jongin scoff on the other end. “Anyway, what’s up? I know you’re shit at beating around the bush.”

“I’m leading a covert mission,” Jongin says and Sehun sits up slightly, frowning. 

“Jongin, leave the killing people to Baekhyun,” Sehun says. “He’s the one with the meat tenderizer.”

“Shut up,” Jongin says, though his voice is light. “No, I need help with something and I need happy people. I’d ask Chanyeol, but I think Tao would kill him if Chanyeol so much as comes near him.”

“Wait, Tao?” Sehun says, eyebrows raising. “As in serial killer face designer Tao who throws tantrums and apparently will marry Baekhyun because they’re destined bosom buddies?”

“Tao can’t marry Bacon,” Jongin says, sounding exasperated. “No one can marry Bacon. Baekhyun doesn’t believe in marriage, remember?”

“Jongin, it’s called phrasing,” Sehun says, and his mouth quirks.

“You and your obsession with words,” Jongin grumbles. “Anyway, can you come to RumbleMuffins around 6 today? I may need back up.”

“Do I need to bring protection?” Sehun asks, and leans back in his chair.

“No condoms necessary,” Jongin says and Sehun actually smacks himself in the face at the comment. 

“I hate you when you’re sexually appeased,” Sehun tells Jongin and hears the tan boy snort over the phone.

“You’re just jealous you don’t have a boyfriend, too,” Jongin says.

“How many times do Kyungsoo and I have to tell you we’re straight for it to sink through your brain?” Sehun asks and Jongin huffs at him, the sound coming through as really crackly static. 

“Denial isn’t sexy, Senshine!” Jongin chirps. “So, see you at six?”

“Yeah, see you at six,” Sehun says and hangs up, wetting his lips with his tongue as he shoves his phone carelessly into his pants.

“I don’t know why you even bother arguing with him,” Jonghyun says, not looking up from his work. “You know he’s never going to believe you.”

“I like to think I’m comfortable in my sexual orientation,” Sehun says. 

“Gender doesn’t matter in love,” Chanyeol muses at the ceiling and his voice goes mushy. “I thought I was super duper ducky straight. Then I met Kris. Now look at me.” He grins and Sehun is pretty sure his mouth is the size of a small melon. 

“Yes, just look at you,” Jonghyun says and it's five seconds before Sehun is snorting into his knees. 

Sehun walks into RumbleMuffins at 5:30, having been shooed away from Planet Records by a very agitated Yesung and a widely grinning Chanyeol. Yesung just wanted to get rid of him. Chanyeol kept giving him the thumbs up. Sehun didn’t really know why, but appreciated it anyway, flashing Chanyeol a smile as he left.

“You know, some people might find it offensive when you come into their establishment drinking something from a competitive business,” Baekhyun remarks as Sehun flops down in one of the few chair spaces, bubble tea in hand. 

“Good thing we’re such good friends then, or I’d have to be worried,” Sehun says and Baekhyun snorts lightly. “I guess I’m the first one here then?”

Baekhyun frowns at him slightly. “First one here?” he repeats and Sehun raises his eyebrows.

“Jongin didn’t call you?”

Baekhyun shrugs. “Maybe he did,” says Baekhyun with an air of nonchalance. “I wouldn’t know. I kind of run a café single handedly and therefore don’t often answer phone calls from my friends during work hours.”

"Sucks to be you,” Sehun comments and Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “Why don’t you hire help? I mean, this place is large and you work practically every day.” Sehun’s eyes suddenly widen. “Oh my God, you’re turning into Joonmyun!”

Baekhyun bursts out laughing. “I am not turning into your work obsessed boss who never frowns,” he says and shakes his head. “I’m clearly more fun.”

“Hire help,” Sehun repeats and Baekhyun throws a balled up napkin at him. 

“So, fill me in,” Baekhyun says a few minutes later after he’s delivered drinks to a few customers around the place. “What is Jongin doing exactly?”

“He was unspecific as to the actual purpose, but I think it has something to do with Tao and Chen,” Sehun says, absently poking at his bubble tea. “Usually Chen is all smiles, at least since we met him, but since he joined Planet Records he’s been really on edge. His constant smile isn’t so constant. He and Tao were pretty close from what I have heard and today he went to visit EXO M and was really vague on the subject. I’m guessing something went wrong. Something with Tao. And we’re here for support.”

Sehun silently congratulates himself on his skills of deduction and observation. 

Baekhyun is frowning as Sehun speaks, nodding slightly as he leans against the bar. “So, basically Jongin has a crazy idea he thinks will work and probably has Yixing on board with because Yixing is fucking whipped.”

“That’s my guess,” Sehun says and sucks a tapioca ball into his mouth.

Baekhyun stares at him for a moment. “I still don’t know how you can drink that stuff daily and still stay a stick.”

“I’m genetically superior,” Sehun says, and grins. 

“You’re addicted.”

“Bubble tea is the new crack.”

_“HI!”_

The loud voice of Jongin interrupts the conversation as the young tan man opens the door, the tinkling of the bell barely audible over his entrance. He’s grinning widely and holding Yixing’s hand very firmly in his own. This is Jongin on a mission. Yixing just looks happy. 

“Hey,” Sehun says, smiling at the familiar faces as they enter the café and Baekhyun folds his arms lightly over his chest, walking around the counter to do the regular meet and greet. Behind Jongin are two unfamiliar figures. Tao is immediately identifiable. Probably about the same height as Sehun himself, he is dark and extremely well put together, clothing immaculate and hair perfectly styled. His eyes are very dark and Sehun’s first impression is _Pouting Panda_ , which immediately has him thinking of alliteration.

“Baekhyun, I see you’re wearing your eyeliner again,” Jongin says and Baekhyun stares at him. 

“Are you insane?” he asks and Jongin just grins widely. 

“You look nice!” the younger says and Sehun stares at his long time friend. Jongin does not do well under pressure. Yixing snakes an arm around Jongin’s waist and leans into him. 

“Baekhyun, you always look nice,” Yixing say and smiles. Baekhyun smirks in return.

Jongin snaps his head to look at his boyfriend. “Hey, are you flirting with people not me?” he asks and his mouth drops into a pout. Sehun watches as the tension seems to melt out of Jongin though, the exchange between himself and Yixing easing him out of his awkward state.

“I’m not flirting with him, I’m complimenting him,” Yixing says easily and Jongin shifts in the older man’s embrace. 

“Good,” says Jongin definitively before turning to the group. “Guys, this is Tao,” he introduces and gestures to Tao with a huge grin. 

Tao doesn't really say anything, just looks at them and gives a faint nod. 

Baekhyun is a master of all things social. “So, you’re the famous Tao,” he says, striding forward easily to extending his hand and smiling. 

Tao doesn’t take Baekhyun’s hand. “That would be accurate,” the tall designer says and Baekhyun, cool as mint, drops his hand casually to rest on his hip and he looks like one smooth motherfucker. 

“I’m Baekhyun,” Baekhyun clarifies, though it’s kind of obvious by now, considering Jongin and Yixing have both been calling him Baekhyun for the past two minutes. But Baekhyun is never rude, despite his biting commentary. “This is RumbleMuffins, my café. I assume Jongin dragged you here.”

“Unfortunately,” Tao replies, and Sehun is pretty sure he’s not entirely fond of Tao. He gets up anyway and pastes a pleasant smile on his face as he comes to stand just behind Baekhyun. He’d rather stand behind the older man, despite the clear height differences, than in front. Baekhyun may be small but he is strong. And Sehun somehow feels like he wants protection. From Tao.

“I’m Sehun,” Sehun introduces himself and Tao’s dark eyes slide to him. 

“You lisp,” Tao says in return and Sehun’s smile drops off his face like bad pudding. He can feel Baekhyun shift next to him. Apparently Tao has the tact of a gun.

“So?” Sehun retorts and it’s a little hard to keep the bite from his voice. What does it matter if he has a lisp? He’s brilliant and handsome and there are more to people than slight speech impediments. He’d like to say this to Tao, but Jongin is suddenly half yelling beside him.

“Anyway, welcome to RumbleMuffins!” Jongin says loudly and takes the arms of Sehun and Tao and essentially drags them into the café. Sehun scowls but finally gets a look at the slightly shorter man who has been standing behind Tao. He first thought is _this guy has the nicest eyes I’ve ever seen_ before he’s hit with the full force of the other mans face.

Sehun has to look down to confirm that he is, in fact, looking at a man. Yep, that’s a man. Unless this is a woman severely skilled in cross-dressing. Sehun knows that it’s technically rude to stare but he can’t entirely help it. This person seriously just looks like a really human version of Bambi. Even his hair is the correct color.

And this makes Sehun inexplicably uncomfortable.

The other man doesn’t really seem to notice much though, as he is staring around vaguely, looking either tired or lost (Sehun doesn’t know the difference, though maybe if he were lost his eyes might be bigger and have less dark under them). However, the next moment he speaks and the mystery as to whether he is male or female is finally solved. Unless, of course, it actually is a woman and she just has an extremely deep voice. 

“Do you have Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Lattes?”

Baekhyun looks like he’s been hit in the face with his own meat tenderizer. “Do you not respect the sanctity that is coffee?” the barista asks and the other man laughs, the sound tinkling slightly in the store like the bell above the door. Baekhyun suddenly smiles, his eyes traveling over the smaller man swiftly. “I usually stick with traditional orders and not specialties, but you look tired.” Okay, tired. That makes sense. “I’ll make an exception. What’s your name?”

“Luhan,” the other man replies as Tao finally sits down, looking like a panther settling into his seat, all sinew and tension. “I’m Kris’ secretary. I’m guessing you’re the one who beat Kris with the pillows.”

Ah, so this is the guy Jongin mentioned as the ‘pretty lady-man killer’ that Sehun didn’t entirely understand but now sees that he might. He is, by default, attractive.

It takes Sehun a moment before he realizes his train of thought and then frowns at himself, because that’s not a normal train of thought. There is a brief period of internal conflict before he settles that it is acceptable to recognize other men as attractive. Technically, he can describe many other men as attractive. Joonmyun, for example, is very handsome and Jongin, as the tan boy likes to point out constantly, is very good looking. Luhan is just an apparent cross between a cherub and physical perfection.

Clearly. 

“That would be correct,” Baekhyun says, messing with things behind the counter. “Though at the time I wished it had been something more violent but I couldn't find my meat tenderizer.”

“You can’t kill people,” Sehun says and realizes as the words leave his mouth he’s not the only one speaking. Head jerking to the side, he sees Luhan looking at him curiously. He feels his face get slightly hot and looks away quickly. That was weird. 

“You keep saying these things,” Baekhyun says, and Sehun glances up at him to see the other smirking at him. Goddamnit it. “But I don’t believe them to be true.”

Goddamn Baekhyun. He would notice. 

“See,” Sehun says, turning to Jongin and trying to distract as much as he can from the amount of meddling he’s sure is building up in Baekhyun’s head. “Why is he not a serial killer?”

“I told you,” Baekhyun says, tone amused. “I’m too pretty.”

“Since when does beauty define serial killers?” Tao’s low voice says as he looks at Baekhyun. 

“Since it was a valid argument for Sehun’s ridiculous questions,” Baekhyun says and Sehun frowns at him. His questions are not ridiculous. “Let me guess,” he continues, pausing with his hand on the espresso machine and leveling a look at Tao. “Espresso? You look like an afternoon espresso waiting to happen.”

Sehun snorts into his bubble tea. Tao seems amused and Sehun figures that even if Jongin is a child at times and has a tendency to have mild panic attacks about life in general, he isn’t entirely an idiot. Baekhyun and Tao seem to enjoy each other. Sehun has a brief vision of a future full of meddling and amused smirks. He swallows.

“Baekhyun’s in love with himself,” Jongin says and throws a pillow at Sehun. Sehun is so used to this by now he catches it without even thinking, hands coming up automatically and hurling the projectile back at the pair, hitting Yixing square in the face. Sehun grins triumphantly as Jongin sniggers and Yixing frowns at him. There is a brief moment in which Yixing picks up the pillow and looks at it before smashing it into Jongin’s face with a huge grin and the two tumble into their blankets.

They’re so stupid and in love it’s actually painful to watch. 

“Oh, here we go,” Baekhyun says and the espresso machine drowns out the rest of the mess. The conversation turns next to Luhan. Apparently Luhan is being evicted. It does not sound enjoyable. 

“Sehun,” Baekhyun says suddenly and Sehun turns to look at the elder and feels a bead of dread slide down his throat. Baekhyun has on his sneaky face. “Didn't you say an apartment had just vacated in your building the other day?” Out of the corner of his eye, Sehun can see Luhan jerk to look at him, eyes widening in interest.

“No,” Sehun says, eyes flitting to Luhan before forcing themselves to remain on Baekhyun. He can feel Luhan watching him however and he resists the urge to fidget. “I said my brother moved out because he decided moving in with his girlfriend was cooler than living with me.” Worthless abandoning traitorous hyung.

“Same difference,” Baekhyun says, waving a hand and delivering coffees, visiting Luhan first and putting down a drink that smells like Christmas. 

Sehun scowls at his friend. “It's not the same,” he says and jabs at some tapioca balls imagining his brother’s face instead of gummy goodness. In the corner, Jongin and Yixing have quieted down into murmuring together and snuggling among their blankets. 

A moment later the doorbell sounds again and Sehun is looking up into the familiar smiling face of Chen as the older strides into the café. It doesn’t take much for Sehun to notice the way that Tao stiffens and Luhan looks like he might bolt and Chen’s smile becomes forced.

So Sehun is correct and this is what Jongin needed help with. Apparently he’s matchmaking. 

Sehun really hopes Jongin never tries to matchmake anyone regarding himself. It would probably scar him. 

“Chen!” Baekhyun says and claps a hand on Chen’s shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in a while.” The glint in Baekhyun’s eye tells Sehun he’s also watching things like a hawk. 

“Yeah,” Chen says, sitting down next to Sehun and the younger shifts slightly, making room as he looks at his friend. Chen looks tired and his eyes keep flickering to Tao. Sehun suspects Chen didn’t just happen to walk into RumbleMuffins and shoots a look at Jongin, who is determinately snuggling with Yixing. “I’ve been pretty busy lately.”

Sehun watches Chen as he talks. He’s got to know the other man pretty well since Jongin dragged him into his social sphere. Despite his constantly smiling face, Chen has a quick wit and Sehun enjoys someone else who he can comment dryly with, even if Chen is extremely vague about some things. Chen is different now though, his eyes and attention elsewhere from his usual relaxed shoulders and Sehun watches him and Tao and feels uncomfortable. 

Why did Jongin have to bring him into this? 

Then Tao is suddenly leaving and so is Chen and Sehun is left staring at the door and then around the room and wondering what the fuck just happened. “Am I the only one who thought that was fucking weird?” he asks the room at large. 

“I found it entertaining,” Baekhyun comments and his smile is amused. “It’s nice not to be the one everyone comes to for their horrifically dramatic issues for once.”

“You make it seem like it’s such a burden,” Jongin says from where Yixing is pressed against him. Sehun chooses not to look at his friend, instead letting his eyes wander. They settle on Luhan. Sehun vaguely wonders if Luhan actually has a forehead; the hair styled perfectly over it looks like perhaps there isn’t anything there. Maybe it’s just a giant gaping hole. Or a third eye. It takes him a moment before he realizes Luhan is looking back at him and he looks away quickly. 

“You and Chanyeol are the epitome of burden,” Baekhyun says dryly and Sehun snorts, leaning back in his chair and trying not to think of foreheads. 

“You are Chanyeol’s best friend,” Sehun says and grins at Baekhyun. 

“He’s still a burden,” Baekhyun mumbles as he looks around his café.

“You’re such a dramatic,” Yixing says as Jongin pets him. Sehun half expects Yixing to start purring when he turns a brilliant smile to Jongin.

“I’m just amazing that way,” Baekhyun says idly before turning to a customer as she approaches and immediately wooing her with his charisma.

Sehun rolls his eyes and takes a brief moment of debate as to whether he sits in awkward silence with Luhan or actually talks to the deer-like man. His mouth ends up deciding for him. “Don’t mind Baekhyun,” he says and leans on the table. “He loves us all much more than he’d ever like to admit.” 

“You seem to know him pretty well,” Luhan comments, his eyes wandering slightly. “How do you all know each other?”

Sehun shrugs and his hands start to poke at each other. “Well, I work with Jongin at Planet Records and we both work under Chanyeol.” Technically he works under Chanyeol and Yesung, and everyone works under Joonmyun, but specifics are never really important in light conversation. “And Chanyeol-“ he pauses. “Do you know Chanyeol?”

That would probably help the situation.

“I know he’s dating my CEO,” Luhan answers and Sehun’s eyes widen. Oh, right, Kris. The guy Chanyeol moons over and Baekhyun beats with pillows. “But not personally, no.”

“Oh, well,” Sehun says and coughs. “Chanyeol basically drags everyone he knows here because he and Baekhyun are basically soul mates. It just kind of became the place everyone goes.” Because, really, it’s a goddamn fort café and Planet Records is basically full of children pretending to be adults. With the exception of Yesung, who is, in fact, a grouchy old man. “Well, everyone except Suho.” And Yesung, but that’s for the best.

“That man could afford to lie down in a fort,” Baekhyun says and Sehun looks at him. “Maybe then he’d stop smiling all the time like it’s painful and actually relax.”

“I don’t think Suho knows how to relax,” Sehun says and takes a sip of bubble tea, smiling at the tapioca. “I think he forgot when he started Planet Records with Yeollie.” Which is true. When Sehun had known Joonmyun as his brother’s best friend, Joonmyun had been playful, joking, and smiled easily. Now…

“I always forget you know Suho so well,” Baekhyun says and Sehun frowns. 

“Only because of _Hyung_ ,” Sehun mumbles and looks away from Baekhyun. Goddamn useless promise breaking brothers.

“Honestly, your brother has a name,” Baekhyun scoffs, and Sehun pouts.

“No, he doesn’t,” Sehun shoots back and looks at the table angrily. It still stings. “ _Hyungs_ lose their name status when they abandon you for their girlfriend.” 

She’s not even that cool. She never liked Sehun anyway.

“Sehun! You’re being a child again!” Jongin yells and Sehun rolls his eyes. Jongin is the last person who should be allowed to call him a child. “Why don’t you just find a new roommate?”

Sehun swallows thickly. The reason he was living with his brother in the first place is because-

“Yes!” Baekhyun chirps, and scurries around the counter to slide haphazardly into the seat Tao had previously sat in, suddenly dragging Luhan, who looks incredibly assaulted, into his side. “Luhan seems to be in need of a place to stay.” Oh goddamn you, Baekhyun. 

Sehun’s mouth drops open involuntarily as Baekhyun practically beams at Luhan and the other man looks horribly uncomfortable. Then a perfectly small and round ‘oh’ appears on his mouth and Sehun wants to smack himself in the face. 

He’s going to kill Baekhyun later.

“No, no, don’t be absurd,” Luhan says, laughing and it sounds desperate. Like Baekhyun is threatening him with torture if he doesn’t comply. 

“What? What’s so absurd about moving in with Sehun?” Baekhyun asks, and looks back at Sehun pointedly. Sehun hates him.

“Well, firstly,” Sehun snaps slightly. “I’d have to be okay with the idea.” Luhan looks at him and it seems like he’s vaguely surprised and Sehun realizes how that must have sounded and snaps his mouth closed.

Baekhyun is scowling at him darkly. “You are a heartless person,” he says and smushes Luhan further into his side. Luhan winces slightly, letting out a soft grunt and Sehun pities him. “How dare you. Apologize now and tell Luhan to move in with you.”

Baekhyun is ridiculous and enjoying this far too much. 

“I just met him!” Sehun snaps, gesturing with his bubble tea.

“So it’ll be like college!” Baekhyun says and grins. “Freshman roommates and fun times!”

“I’m in college now!” Sehun snaps at Baekhyun. Well, he has only one semester left, and is spending the majority of that time working on his thesis, but that’s not relevant. The point is, he doesn’t need a roommate.

“Well, there then!” Baekhyun says brightly and throws his arms up. Luhan immediately jerks away from him and grips the table like he may fall off the Earth if he lets go. “It’s perfect!”

“Baekhyun-“ Sehun begins to accost but Luhan cuts him off. Loudly.

“ _That's very nice of you but I'm really okay thank you!_ ” Luhan says and looks a little hysterical before he smiles and Sehun wonders if maybe he’s a little crazy. Now it’s awkward all over again. Except worse.

There is a short silence.

“Dude, I think you broke Luhan,” Jongin whispers loudly from his fort and Sehun glowers at him.

Luhan leaves about forty minutes later. It was interesting, having the other man in the café. Jongin had made Luhan sound like a severely optimistic doll that basically was perfect on every level. Over the course of 40 minutes, Sehun had gathered that Luhan is tired, professional, actually from China, hates fuzzy sweaters and loves rubrics cubes. He also got into a ten-minute argument over winter versus summer sports. Luhan apparently only supports summer sports because “you can’t play soccer in the snow” and Sehun argued that “at least in winter you don’t sweat your weight daily.”

Overall, Sehun had found that, of the two strangers that had wandered in this afternoon behind Jongin, he much preferred Luhan to Tao.

Baekhyun, about thirty seconds after the door has closed after Luhan, is smirking so widely at Sehun the younger feels like his face might actually crack. He also feels dread and feels a lot of annoyance towards Jongin for making this his current reality. 

“So, Sehun finally has feelings,” Baekhyun says and Sehun frowns at him.

“I have feelings just like any normal person,” he retorts and Jongin snorts into Yixing’s chest.

“You having feelings is being sad when they’re out of chocolate bubble tea,” Jongin says. “Everything else is a kind of colorblind monotone of ‘pleasantly cheerful Sehun’ who bothers the shit out of everyone because he can.”

“You’re such a brat,” Yixing says to Jongin, poking him in the shoulder. 

“I’m your brat,” Jongin says, beaming, and Yixing rolls his eyes. 

“I feel like we’re getting off the point that _Sehun actually has feelings_ ,” Baekhyun says before he’s practically leaping from behind the counter to the chair next to Sehun, scooting it closer to the younger boy until he’s essentially mashed against his side, grinning face severely in Sehun’s personal space. 

“Go away!” Sehun squeaks, trying to push Baekhyun off of him in as many places as he can. Baekhyun is unrelenting, instead suddenly prodding every place possible on Sehun and making the younger squawk. “Baekhyun!”

“Feelings! Feelings! Feelings!” Baekhyun is half yelling, half cheering at him and Sehun pushes him away, entire hand covering his face. “Sehun, finally has feelings for a Bambi man!” He swats away Sehun’s hand from over his face. “Honestly, you have the weirdest taste. He looks like a woman.”

“I don’t have the weirdest taste!” Sehun snaps, pinching Baekhyun by the neck and smirking when Baekhyun immediately recoils. “I’m just straight, remember? Who says I’m attracted to Luhan? I just think he’s interesting!”

“You’re attracted to Luhan?” Jongin says, sitting up from Yixing and the older man flops back onto the floor in defeat. Oh the woes of having a distractible boyfriend.

Sehun flushes bright red. _"No!”_ he almost yells and Baekhyun pinches both of his cheeks painfully, shaking his head back and forth forcefully. “I am not! Jesus- would you stop!” He bats wildly at Baekhyun. Baekhyun currently looks like he’s having the time of his life. 

Jongin just blinks. “Is Sehun blushing?” he asks, looking to Baekhyun, who grins back. 

“Either that or he’s stopped breathing and may die in a minute,” Baekhyun says and continues to pinch Sehun’s cheeks much to the younger’s humiliation. Sehun pinches his neck again in retaliation and the two of them begin a sort of squirming wriggling battle of pinching and thrashing. 

“Hey, Luhan isn’t dating anyone, right?” asks Jongin as he turns to Yixing, snuggling back into the elder’s arms and blinking at him. 

Yixing looks at Jongin for a moment, eyes amused. “No, last I heard he was still depressingly single. And the last I heard was two days ago.”

“And we both saw how well Luhan and Sehun got along today,” Jongin says and starts smirking and Sehun, as he fends off Baekhyun and tries to remove the elders vice like grip on his face, feels a strong sense of doom. 

Yixing’s eyes flash over to Sehun, who is now alternatively thrashing and trying to lurch away as Baekhyun, hands still latched onto his face, is now prodding him in the stomach with a foot, grinning like a madman. “Yes, we did indeed.” He grins as Sehun’s whole face turns white and his eyes go wide. 

“Dude, we could totally set up Sehun and Luhan,” Jongin says and his eyes gleam. He turns to Sehun like Christmas is early. “How about it! Want us to set you up? We’d be happy to!”

“We?” says Yixing.

“No!” yells Sehun before Baekhyun grabs him in a headlock and he loses his ability to protest entirely. 

_“Set that shit up!"_ Baekhyun all but yells at Jongin and Sehun punches him in the stomach. Sehun hopes that the customers that came to RumbleMuffins today never come again and tell everyone that the owner is a goddamn lunatic.

The next week, as Sehun is walking back from the grocery store, a few cans of tuna knocking against his legs, he pauses outside of Yoochun’s building, watching with slightly wide eyes as Jessica and Yoona struggle down the front steps, a large arm chair held between them. Sehun vaguely notes the moving van before he’s dropping his tuna cans and rushing to the girls, immediately sliding in beside Yoona and taking the chair from her. 

“Sehun!” Yoona says in surprise and Jessica looks up, shaking her hair from her sweaty face.

“Hi!” Sehun says, and grins widely, hoisting the chair easily and Jessica, surprised by the sudden strength opposite her, fumbles slightly and laughs. “You two looked like you needed some help!”

“Oh Sehun, always there when you need him,” Jessica says, her voice laughing as Yoona giggles, helping as they move the chair down the last steps. 

“Are you guys moving?” Sehun asks as they maneuver. 

“Yeah, Sunny found us a place downtown that’s closer to our work,” Yoona says, as she slides next to Jessica, helping with some of the weight of the chair. “Our lease isn’t up until next month but we really wanted to get this place before it was too late. So, out we go!” She grins as Jessica stumbles slightly. 

“Aw!” Sehun pouts at the two older girls. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me.” The two girls laugh at him, shaking their heads and he cracks a smile at them. “Why didn’t you hire movers?” he asks a moment later as they drop the chair in the moving truck, the two girls panting slightly as Sehun shakes out his arms. “You can’t seriously be thinking of getting all of your apartment down here by yourselves.”

“Well, we did,” Yoona says, and wipes her brow. “But the company messed up and ended up overbooking today. Who’d have thought they’d be so damn busy on a Thursday.” She shakes her head at Jessica, who shrugs and gives her a silly look. “Anyway, yeah, it’s just us.”

“We’ll be lucky if we get everything down before sunset,” Jessica says, fixing her ponytail. 

“Do you want some help?” Sehun asks and bounces on the balls of his feet. 

“Oh, Sehun, we’re not going to-“

“Great! What’s next on the moving list?” Sehun cuts off Yoona before she can finish, grinning at the two girls.

Jessica laughs as Yoona huffs, hands on her hips. “Seriously, why argue with him? He’s just going to sneak his way up and help anyway,” Jessica tells her long time friend and roommate. 

“I’m just an amazing _dongseng_ ,” Sehun says and flashes them a bright smile and peace sign.

“You’re the best _dongseng_ we have,” Jessica says, ruffling his hair. Sehun laughs before briefly flashing them a _buing buing_ and they both laugh. “Okay, seriously, stop.”

“Yeah, you may be cute, but you’re not allowed to be cuter than us, sweet cheeks,” Yoona says, and pinches Sehun’s face gently. “C’mon, we’ve got stuff to move!”

“I can’t believe you’re actually leaving me!” Sehun says two hours later when all three of them are standing on the street side, covered in sweat and smiling proudly from their work. 

“It’s not forever!” Jessica says.

“We’ll still visit,” Yoona says, walking around to the front of the truck and hopping into the driver’s side. “Thanks again for all the help, Sehun!”

Sehun waves at them, feeling sad and happy at the same time as his long time neighbors drive away.

“I’m sad to see them go too,” Yoochun says from beside Sehun and the younger boy nearly jumps out of his skin, not having heard the older man come up beside him. Suddenly Sehun’s memory whirs into life.

“Is anyone moving into that apartment any time soon?” he asks and Yoochun looks at him with sleepy eyes.

“No, they just told me a week ago. I put the ad out last Sunday but no one seems to be interested yet. Too bad, really,” Yoochun says and shoves his hands into his pockets, sighing at nothing. “It’s a nice place.”

Sehun hums in agreement, frowning slightly. He’s still frowning two hours later as he sits on the floor of his living room and stares at his phone, thumb hovering over the ‘call’ button with the name _DANSU MASHEEN KAI_ glowing on the screen. He should call. He should call and tell Jongin about the girls moving out. Then Jongin can tell Luhan and Luhan can maybe look at the apartment. And move in. Then Luhan will be Sehun’s neighbor. And they will become friends and maybe Sehun will play soccer and Luhan will also like watching movies and Sehun will have someone to throw popcorn at. 

Sehun groans and lets himself fall back on the floor. This is ridiculous. He raises the phone to his face and glares at it. 

He should call.

Calling might be awkward.

He should call anyway.

It would still probably be awkward.

But it would be the nice correct thing to do.

Even if he might start lisping like a fiend.

Damnit.

Sehun groans and rolls over onto his side, face scrunching into the floor. 

This is weird.

At work, Sehun feels like he and Joonmyun are some of the only few people who aren’t in a drug-like euphoria. Chen is once more smiling everywhere, except now his face is practically glowing. Chanyeol is still off in lollipop land most of the time and occasionally runs into things as he sends texts to Kris while walking. Though, to be fair, this never gets old to watch. And Jongin basically is on a constant high and is more suggestive than Sehun ever wanted to know he could be. 

Everything can now be turned sexual apparently. 

“You are a horrible person,” Yesung glowers at him as Jongin smirks.

“Not in bed!” he chirps and Amber groans into her coffee. 

“Sehun, control your friend,” Yesung says, voice and face, actually, most of his body, tight.

“I don’t think I can,” Sehun says wearily, and half-heartedly paws at Jongin. “Stop being suggestive,” he moans at Jongin as the other rolls his eyes. 

“What is it with you people and your hatred of happiness?” Jongin queries, looking around the room. 

“We don’t hate happiness, we just hate you,” Amber says and grins widely from where she’s typing up reports. 

“Sehun doesn’t hate me,” Jongin says and turns wide eyes on his friend before grinning. “Sehun could never hate me, right Sehunnie?”

Sehun snorts and kicks Jongin lightly under the table. “I don’t hate you. I just dislike the way that you make me detest you due to the fact that you are so insufferably suggestive and essentially force me to reconcile my own complex cognizant difficulties.”

Jongin stares at him. “Baxter, you know I don’t speak Spanish,” he finally says and Amber snorts. “Seriously though, don’t go into that crazy intelligent speak with me. You know I don’t have the attention span for it.”

“Just a pretty face,” Amber says and smiles. “The lights are all on but nobody’s home.”

“You should meet Yixing,” Sehun tells her. “It’s like Jongin… but worse.”

“I never want to meet this person,” Amber says flatly and Sehun laughs.

“My boyfriend is amazing,” Jongin says, leaning back and smiling at the ceiling. 

“Really? You know, I’m surprised, because, like, you never talk about him or anything,” Amber says, and tilts her head to the side, giving Jongin a very fake look of curiosity.

“Wait, no,” Sehun says, leaning forward. “I think he has mentioned him once.”

“Or twice,” Amber says.

“A minute.”

“All summer-“

“Are you quoting _Harry Potter_?” Jongin says, looking between his two coworkers and friends. 

“We are the Weasley twins,” Amber says and Sehun rolls his eyes. 

“Am I Bill?” Jongin says, perking up. “He’s the cool one, right?”

“You’re Ginny,” Amber says and Sehun cracks up as Jongin’s face falls.

“Shut up, one of you dies in the end,” Jongin grumbles as Sehun and Amber laugh at him and Yesung gives up on everything, stalking from the room and grumbling about finding Onew and bringing some sort of sense to the Marketing Division. 

“So, how is EXO-M doing now that Tao is, um, whatever?” Sehun asks.

Jongin smirks at him. “It’s good. We have a joint show coming up in a month with 2NE1 and, though Tao originally wanted to kill her, I think he’s feeling less homicidal towards CL now that Chen is his official calming totem.”

“So, they’re finally dating?” Sehun clarifies.

“From what I can tell,” Jongin says, nodding. “I mean, we could just ask Chen, but you know how he always skirts from stuff about his actual personal life.” Sehun nods and makes a mental note to sit next to Chen at lunch today so he can pester him. It’s not really important, but Sehun on a mission is a dangerous Sehun.

“Pretty much everyone is awesome except Luhan, who just looks tired all the time. I don’t think sleeping on Baozi’s floor is good for him,” Jongin continues and Sehun’s head snaps up.

“He still hasn’t found a place?” Sehun asks, and feels _guilt_. He should tell Jongin about the girls moving out. About how there is an open apartment in Yoochun’s building. He should tell Jongin because it’s the right thing to do. He should tell Jongin because it’s the correct thing to do. He should tell Jongin because he’s a decent person and should help others so that his karma won’t be shit and he won’t be reincarnated as, like, a scorpion or something. He should tell Jongin-

 _“Jongin if you don't get your ass down to recording now Yesung is going to turn Hannibal on you and eat your Liver with a nice Chianti!"_ Onew is shouting as he runs into the room, looking extremely harassed as papers fly everywhere.

Jongin gets a very surprised look before he flashes a grin to Amber and Sehun. “Well, guess that’s my cue!” he says before scrambling from Marketing before Yesung comes in and skins him alive. 

Well, okay, maybe Sehun, Joonmyun, and Yesung are the only people at the company who aren’t in a drug-like euphoric state. But to be fair, Yesung has probably never been in a drug-like euphoric state. 

A week later, there is a moving truck on the side of the street as Sehun runs home briefly, dropping his school bag at home before sprinting back out the door. He had completely forgotten he had made plans with Jongin to play paintball and is now, effectively, almost an hour late. It is also one of the first times in weeks that Jongin has actually been free to hang out without Yixing. And Sehun is ready to seize the opportunity to actually hang out with his friend for once. 

Sprinting down the street, he nearly ran into a short man with short hair and really apparent cheeks. _“Sorry!"_ he shouted as his feet pounded the asphalt, hair flying from his face. Jongin gave him an exasperated look when Sehun finally arrived, looking sheepish but regardless they two smiled and began their ridiculous game anyway. It didn’t last long, however, as apparently Jongin had, in his impatience for Sehun, called Yixing. Sehun lasted about an hour until being with the two lovebirds had ruined his drive to shoot things with paint splattering balls and excused himself. He has spent the remainder of the day smirking at Baekhyun as the elder attempted to contend with a large group of girls who seemed to neither want to leave his cafe nor accept he wasn’t interested in them romantically. 

Of course, Sehun didn’t exactly help Baekhyun by egging the girls on every time they attempted to seduce the barista. This earned him a variety of slaps to rather tender parts of his anatomy such as the back of his head, the side of his face, and his ass. 

It is nearly ten o’ clock at night when Sehun walks back down his street towards his apartment. It takes him a moment before he realizes there is an unfamiliar figure outside of the trash bins, looking between them in what is probably confusion. So, Yoochun had managed to find a new tenant. The figure, turned away from him, is about to throw a bag of trash into the glass bin when Sehun is nearly level with him. “That’s for glass, not trash,” he says and the other man spins towards him. 

He has really bright eyes, even behind his dark glasses, and his hair is styled up off of his face in a nice way. The dark shirt clings to him just as his jeans ride low on his hips. Sehun blinks for a moment, because there’s something really familiar about him. 

“Sehun?” the stranger asks and Sehun stares at him. How…? Sehun blinks, frowning slightly as he looks closely at that face. And it clicks together and Sehun actually has to step back slightly, eyes wide, because this Luhan is _much_ different looking than the Luhan he met in the café. This Luhan looks like the awesome best friend everyone wants to have. He’s holding a pizza box, for God’s sake. 

“Oh, hi!” Sehun says, and grins, laughing a little because he feels like he should have recognized Luhan. Even if the other man does have his face hidden by glasses. “Sorry, I didn’t recognize you for a second. It’s Luhan, right?” Of course it’s Luhan. 

Luhan’s smile broadens. “Yeah, I met you at RumbleMuffins when Jongin decided to initiate _‘Mission Cheer Up Tao’_ or whatever it was.” Sehun tries not to think too much about that day. 

“Right,” Sehun says, smiling before looking down at the bags of trash in Luhan’s arms. “So, what are you doing here?” Suspicions about to be confirmed or disproved.

Luhan looks up at Yoochun’s building. Sixty-seven% correct. “I just moved in,” Luhan says. 100% correct. Surprising though, considering most people who meet Yoochun would not move in and smile like that.

“Really?” Sehun asks, looking up at Yoochun’s building, imagining how many cats Yoochun has collected today. Then he remembers Luhan is now not homeless. And is now his new neighbor. He should be friendly. “Wow, that’s great!” Beam. That’s a good thing. “It looks like your apartment hunting is finally at an end then. Congratulations.”

Luhan smiles and it’s warm. Somehow, here, standing on the side of the street, in casual clothing and jeans, holding an empty pizza box with hair styled in every direction, Luhan is completely different from the man Sehun met in the café a few weeks ago. But not, at the same time. It’s like Luhan from RumbleMuffins was stressed, still working, still calculating figures and filing paperwork in his head while trying to socialize at the same time. But now, as he smiles brightly and puts his weight on his left leg, he just looks natural. At ease, like not much could really bother him. 

And Sehun wants to be his friend. 

As weird as that sounds, Luhan looks like the best friend Sehun never knew he never had. 

And it’s kind of weird to think that.

“This is weird,” Sehun says, running a hand through his hair after explaining where he lives. They basically live next to each other.

“Well, we are talking next to trash cans,” Luhan points out, grinning.

Sehun finds himself laughing. “True, but I was more referring to you suddenly being here in general.” Because it is weird. Sehun had never envisioned a future in which Luhan would magically move in the apartment without him meddling. That had never really occurred to him. “I feel like I should do something to welcome you to the neighborhood or something.”

He’s a cheese.

Luhan apparently also thinks so, as his eyebrows raise and he repeats, “Welcome me to the neighborhood?” with relative amounts of skepticism.

Sehun shrugs. “You know, it’s what nice neighbors do,” he says. He had given Jessica and Yoona flowers when they moved in. He had given his own landlord, Siwon, a bottle of wine and cheese before learning that Siwon was apparently abstaining from all forms of worldly pleasure. Hell, he had given Yoochun a box of chocolates. Yoochun had insisted he come in for tea and cookies and Sehun had sat in his kitchen feeling awkward while Yoochun chatted and his cats tried to burrow into Sehun’s stomach and his allergies went haywire. 

“You could make me a cake,” Luhan suddenly suggests and grins widely, his eyes sparkling as he drops his garbage in the proper places. Sehun feels his face fall slightly. “No one dislikes cake. Unless, perhaps, they have no soul.”

Sehun is now frowning. Luhan looks slightly concerned. “I’m no good at making cakes,” he admits. Then says “What about a fruit basket? Fruit is good,” before his brain has fully caught up.

Luhan is laughing. Legitimately laughing and it’s so much more powerful and real than what he did in RumbleMuffins and Sehun can only grin and shove him in the shoulder. He’s being nice! Luhan shouldn’t laugh at him. This just makes Luhan laugh more. 

“Hey, you just wait!” Sehun says, and is still grinning, his own voice laughing as Luhan continues to howl at the night. “It’ll be the best damn welcome basket of fruit you’ve ever seen in your entire life.” Luhan starts laughing all over again, shoving the pizza box away. “You will feel so damn welcome you won’t know what to do with yourself.” Sehun likes making Luhan laugh.

“Okay, okay,” Luhan finally says, calming down enough to speak. “You give me that fruit basket and I’ll be officially welcomed to the neighborhood. Sound good, Sehun?”

Sehun grins and thinks that yeah, maybe it is a good idea.

Sehun panics as he presses the phone to his ear an hour later and waits for Baekhyun to pick up his phone. Shit, he’s a weird kid. 

“Why are you calling me at eleven at night?” Baekhyun’s tired voice asks over the line.

“Can we please do a three way call?” Sehun demands instead of answering. 

“Why?” Baekhyun asks, and Sehun can hear him rubbing his face. 

“Because I don’t know if I can deal with your sneering comments without Kyungsoo,” Sehun explains and there is brief silence.

“Are you actually calling me and freaking out?” Baekhyun asks after a beat.

“No,” Sehun denies.

“Jesus, they really do all come to me,” Baekhyun grumbles. “You are the last person I expect to come to me, kiddo. Why don’t you go to Joonmyun? Isn’t he, like, the expert of feelings?”

“I don’t have feelings!” Sehun snaps. “I just have problems.”

“People call what you refer to as problems feelings,” Baekhyun points out before sighing. “Okay, what are your problems?”

“Um,” Sehun says and realizes this is hard. He doesn’t talk about things like this. He talks about a lot of things. Sports, the weather, books he reads, his University thesis, Planet Records, global warming, bubble tea, and what he had for breakfast usually ranking top of the list. But his own personal things? Not really. “I got a new neighbor.”

“Someone took Yoochun’s open apartment?” Baekhyun asks, and he sounds as baffled as Sehun felt. “Are they crazy?”

“No, they’re Luhan,” Sehun says and wants to hit himself.

There is a pause. “Luhan just took Jessica’s and Yoona’s old place.”

“Yep.”

“Luhan now lives two buildings away from you.”

“Yes.”

“Luhan is now your neighbor.”

“That’s basically what I’m saying,” Sehun says, exasperated. “Are you stupid?”

“So, where is the problem, exactly?” Baekhyun asks. 

“The problem is I was talking to him tonight and told him I would give him a welcome basket because he should be welcomed to the neighborhood,” Sehun says and plans to continue but Baekhyun has burst out laughing on the other end and Sehun couldn’t get a word in if he wanted to.

“Oh my god, you told him you’d give him a welcome basket?!” Baekhyun cackles at him. “Oh shit, do it, Sehun. Please for the love of God, give him a welcome basket.”

Sehun frowns at his wall. “Seriously?”

 _“Yes!”_ Baekhyun practically yells in the phone, voice excited as much as it is amused. “Put lots of fruit and crackers and jams and nice things in it! Oh! And make sure there’s a bow. A very nice bow. And write a letter. That’s the final touch.”

Sehun just stares at his wall. “Seriously?” he repeats.

 _“Just do it!"_ Baekhyun yells before dissolving into laughter again. “Oh my god, my stomach, I can feel my kidney’s crying,” he says and then hangs up and Sehun feels very unhelped.

Sehun buys the welcome basket and assembles it carefully. He thinks for an hour before writing the note. He leaves it on Luhan’s doorstep, the place familiar from all the times he came over with diet coke and Casablanca to see Jessica and Yoona. He tells Baekhyun during his lunch break when he and Donghae visit RumbleMuffins for an afternoon coffee and Baekhyun laughs in his face.

Apparently Baekhyun had not actually believed him and was not serious when he told Sehun to actually get the goddamn fruit basket. Sehun had been serious. Sehun hates Baekhyun and vows to never ask him for advice again and spends the remainder of the day periodically stealing candy from Kyungsoo’s desk as he persistently bothers Joonmyun.

That night, as Sehun is cooking curry and being moderately successful, there is a click of the door and Sehun turns to see his brother toeing off his shoes, Joonmyun in tow. 

Sehun immediately is frowning. “What are you doing here, _Hyung_?” he snaps out and his brother rolls his eyes. Joonmyun watches them cautiously.

“What, I can’t come in and crash with my little brother every now and then?” Sehun’s brother asks, striding in with a huge smile on his face and dragging Sehun into a hug. Sehun does not return the hug. Instead, he stays as stiff as he can and glowers at the wall. Joonmyun rolls his eyes. “Plus, I missed you Sehunnie.”

“Yeah?” Sehun snaps, turning back to his curry and wondering if he’s supposed to smell slight burning. “Why, is your girlfriend not keeping you completely occupied with all her lovely love things?”

 _Hyung_ rolls his eyes (Sehun won’t dignify him with a name). “Honestly, you’re not still mad about this, are you?” he asks, and looks a little sad as he smiles. 

“No,” Sehun lies and it’s very apparent in his tone that he is, in fact, still hurt and mad about it. Joonmyun walks forward and claps a hand to both of their shoulders. Joonmyun has always been the peacemaker. The kind one. The understanding one. The gentleman. Sehun has always found it slightly excessive. Right now he just wants Joonmyun to go away so he can glower at his brother in peace. 

“Hey, come on you two,” Joonmyun says and shakes them lightly. “You’re brothers. You love each other. Sehun, you need to know that, even if-“

 _“Hyung,”_ Sehun says loudly and Joonmyun rolls his eyes. 

“-moved out, he still cares about you,” Joonmyun finishes. “Besides, you two were living together for, like, three years. I think it’s time that he finally gets serious with Tiffany and you find your own way.”

“Besides, I’m still paying for rent,” _Hyung_ says, and offers an apologetic smile. 

“Half,” Sehun spits out and _Hyung_ snorts.

“What, I’m not paying full rent,” he points out and Sehun pouts at his curry.

Which is burning.

Goddamnit. 

“So, what’s new?” Joonmyun asks. 

Sehun stares at him as he tries to save his curry. “Seriously? I see you every day, was bothering you most of today, and you’re asking me this?”

“You see me at work,” Joonmyun says, sitting down at the table with familiarity. “That’s different. I don’t really get to see how you’re doing when I’m Suho, do I?”

“I see how you are doing,” Sehun points out and _Hyung_ rolls his eyes.

“You bother Joonmyun at work?”

“He won’t frown!” Sehun protests and pokes a potato violently.

“Joonmyun never frowns,” _Hyung_ points out and Joonmyun laughs. “It’s like, your permanent condition. Joonmyun, the man who never frowns.”

“Sehun, the boy who never grows up,” Joonmyun says, and flashes a smile in Sehun’s direction. 

“ _Hyung_ , the guy who abandons things,” Sehun glowers at carrots and Joonmyun’s smile falters. 

“Sehun, the brother who-“

There is a sudden knock to the door and all three men jerk to look at it.

“You have people visit you?” _Hyung_ asks, wide eyed to Sehun and the younger bristles.

“I have friends!” Sehun snaps, and stomps from the kitchen with as much attitude as he can. Damn _Hyung_ and his meddling and his visiting and bringing Joonmyun here and-

“Hi!” Luhan says, as soon as the door is open and grins widely. He’s not wearing glasses today, but his hair is once again styled off his face and Sehun blinks at him in complete shock. 

This is unexpected. 

“Hi,” Sehun says, and feels really unintelligent. Luhan is standing. Outside of his door. Smiling like joy and Sehun is wearing a bright yellow apron and has curry smeared on his face. “Uhh… what’s up?”

“I got your welcome fruit basket,” Luhan says and his eyes flicker into the apartment. He’s smile falters slightly as his eyebrows crease. “Is something burning?”

It takes exactly 2.4 seconds before Sehun is yelling _“Shit! My curry!”_ and stumbling over himself as he runs back to the kitchen to save his dinner. _Hyung_ laughs and Joonmyun smiles and Luhan, because this has to be some sort of nightmare, lets himself into the apartment with a curiously amused expression.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” Luhan says, stopping dead and looking at the small gathering in Sehun’s kitchen. Sehun stabs at a potato and misses, splattering curry everywhere. “I’ll just-“

“No, it’s fine,” _Hyung_ says as Joonmyun watches Luhan curiously. “Honestly, we’re just visiting to make sure Sehun is okay here on his own.”

“I’m fine on my own,” Sehun grumbles and _Hyung_ barks out a laugh. “I am!”

“I know, but I miss you!” _Hyung_ says and grabs Sehun into a very awkward hug, laughing and Sehun nearly falls over, curry spoon in hand, and yelping loudly. Luhan smiles widely in amusement. “I’m allowed to miss my little brother, aren’t I?”

“You’re brothers?” Luhan asks, and looks at them all curiously.

“Well, those two are,” Joonmyun says, and stands up, smiling brightly at Luhan. “They actually lived here together for a while. It’s just Sehun now though, so-“

 _“Hyung!”_ Sehun yells, both at his brother and over Joonmyun. His brother barks out a laugh and finally releases him, stepping back and looking delighted. 

“- comes and checks on him occasionally,” Joonmyun finishes. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Joonmyun,” Joonmyun finishes with a very charming smile and holds out a hand. “And you are?”

“Luhan,” Luhan answers and shakes the offered hand with a smile. “I just moved in down the street actually. Sehun was kind enough to welcome me here. I wanted to say thanks.”

“That’s really kind of you,” Joonmyun says and Sehun glowers at his brother’s friend. At his boss. At Joonmyun’s _constant_ smile. “Sehun, you have amazing neighbors,” he says, turning to flash that brilliant grin at the younger. “I wish I had neighbors like you,” he adds to Luhan and Luhan blinks before smiling back, a faint tinge hitting his cheekbones.

Sehun turns back to his curry and glares for all his worth. 

“Well, Sehun started it,” Luhan says, laughing. “He was the one who gave me the welcome fruit basket-“

“You gave him a fucking fruit basket?” _Hyung_ interrupts and elbows Sehun in the side painfully. “Sehun! That’s so adorable!”

Sehun grumbles something even he doesn’t comprehend. 

“It was really nice of him,” Luhan continues, and Sehun looks back over at him. Luhan is looking at him and smiles brilliantly when their eyes meet. “It really is the best welcome basket I’ve ever been given.”

Sehun smiles. Actually smiles and feels warm. Luhan continues to grin before turning back to the other two men in the room. “Anyway, I should probably get going. It was nice meeting you all,” Luhan says, and gives a brilliant smile to Joonmyun and _Hyung_. He looks back over to Sehun. “I’ll see you around, Sehun.”

And with a quick bow and some more smiles, Luhan disappears behind the door as suddenly as he had appeared. The only difference is that Sehun feels a little less like glowering at his curry. 

Joonmyun lets out a long breath before turning to the two brothers. “Who was that?” 

Sehun frowns at him. “My neighbor,” he says and Joonmyun shakes his head slightly, eyes still on the door.

“Jesus, do all your neighbors look like Gods and act like they’re perfect?” Joonmyun continues and Sehun’s jaw locks involuntarily. “Am I the only one who noticed this?”

“Dude, we're both straight,” _Hyung_ says and claps a hand on Sehun’s shoulder roughly, tossing out a laugh. “He just seemed like a nice friendly neighbor.”

Joonmyun lets out a low whistle. “I’m jealous, Sehun,” Joonmyun says, and gives Sehun a look. “I’d love to have Luhan as a neighbor.”

 _'Well, you can’t have him as a neighbor, because he’s mine'_ Sehun snaps back in his mind and then clenches his jaw.

“Hey!” _Hyung_ says, turning to Sehun with bright eyes and a plan behind them that Sehun is sure he isn’t going to like. “Why don’t you set them up?”

"What?!” Sehun blurts out and drops his curry spoon. “What are you-“

“Luhan and Joonmyun!” _Hyung_ says, and gestures like he’s a genius. “Come on, that would be amazing!”

Sehun splutters for a moment while Joonmyun laughs slightly nervously. “Are you-but the- I don’t even know if Luhan likes men!” Sehun finally gets out.

“So find out!” _Hyung_ says, looking far too excited. “Then, _set that shit up!_ ”

Sehun realizes that he liked Baekhyun saying that much more than he likes his brother saying that. Joonmyun just looks at him and Sehun ponders why his throat is suddenly dry.

-


	3. Luhan 2

Luhan 2

“I don’t know half of the people currently in your apartment,” Minseok comments softly to Luhan as he sidles up next to him, drink in hand and eyes looking around the room. “Did you really invite this many people?”

“ _I_ don’t know half of the people currently occupying my apartment,” Luhan says around his glass of champagne, eyes on the various people scattered around his furniture. “Jongin apparently is friends with half of the city.”

“I thought the invitation said ‘bring a friend’ not ‘bring every person you know and their extended family’,” Minseok mumbles before taking a bite of a spinach puff. 

Luhan snorts into his piece of bruschetta, his eyes traveling around the room and coming to rest on Jongin and five of his friends as they speak enthusiastically, Yixing with an arm draped casually over his waist. He smiles as he makes his way back towards the kitchen, flashing grins at people as he passes and accepting the familiar pats against his back.

It’s been two weeks since Luhan moved into his new apartment and, last Monday, he had sent out invitations to most of his friends inviting them to a housewarming. He figured that it isn’t every day you move into a new place and he might as well find some way to reignite his social life. He had added, as a P.S., the guests were more than welcome to bring a friend. 

Half of the people he invited, most from EXO M, had shown up with some sort of welcome gift. Minseok arrived with wine and salad. Luhan had taken one look at the salad before both of them burst out laughing. Kris had shown up smiling unsettlingly with a tall man who smiled with five times the intensity and pep than any person Luhan had ever encountered. 

This was Chanyeol. It took Luhan about ten seconds before he decided he liked Chanyeol. The other man, despite having a questionable understanding of proper volume control, was extremely pleasant and genuine. He also had points already in his favor, considering Kris got this warm look in his eyes and his mouth quirked in a smile every time Chanyeol so much as breathed near him.

Tao had arrived with Chen and presented Luhan with an interesting assortment of what appeared to be chocolates before Tao settled into a corner and surveyed everything with varying degrees of skepticism and Chen smiled beside him. Minho, Eunhyuk, Kyuhyun, and Changmin all arrived together, toting a large collection of alcohol and creating a cacophony of sound as soon as Chanyeol was introduced to them. Then Yixing arrived, with a slightly apologetic look as Jongin walked in beside him with what looked like half of the cities population. Luhan had a moment of recognition as his eyes fell upon Baekhyun before he was drowned in introductions and various home goods were shoved into his arms. 

Overall, it was a pretty good turn out. 

“Hey,” Yixing nudges into his side as Luhan once more finds himself in his kitchen, dragging cranberry Brie phyllo out of his oven and frowning in concentration, trying not to burn himself. Luhan cocks his head towards his friend to show he’s listening. “Sorry for the herd of people.”

Luhan smiles as he looks at his long time friend and sets down the hors d’ouevres. “Why are you apologizing? I don’t think I’ve seen this much social interaction since in months.”

Yixing raises an eyebrow at him. “You seriously need to get to get out more,” Yixing states and puts a hand on Luhan’s shoulder. 

“I’ll make a note of it,” Luhan says, using a spatula to move the hot snacks onto a serving tray. “Now go separate Tao and Baekhyun,” he adds, glancing up at the two men in question. They had somehow gravitated towards each other in the first ten minutes and Luhan can practically feel them making snarky commentary at everything around them. “I think they may be plotting everyone’s secret demise. And Tao is enjoying himself far too much. He’ll be embarrassed tomorrow if he doesn’t stop soon.”

Yixing laughs and his hand slips from Luhan’s shoulder. Luhan laughs a bit himself, picking up the tray of appetizers and making his way into the open living space, smiling as his various guests and friends snatch at the snack happily.

A moment later the doorbell once more goes off and an amusedly smiling Chen takes the tray from Luhan as the host jerks at the sound. Luhan smiles in appreciation before making towards the door. He opens it and is met with the slightly flushed face of Sehun, who grins upon seeing him. 

“Hi!” Luhan says, his face immediately splitting into a grin. “I was wondering if you were coming. You had me worried there.”

“Sorry I’m late,” Sehun says and ducks his head slightly. “I got held up with, um-“ he bites his lip.

“It’s my fault,” a voice says from behind Sehun and the tall boy is pushed aside by the figure behind him, who is significantly shorter but no less handsome and Luhan blinks. The other man smiles and Luhan’s brow creases in unplaced recognition.

“Do I know you?” Luhan asks, perplexed smile on his face as he extends a hand.

The amazing facial structure laughs. “I met you in Sehun’s apartment the other night,” he says and shakes Luhan’s hand. “Kim Joonmyun.”

“Right,” Luhan says, remembering the other and feeling slightly embarrassed despite himself. He laughs slightly and looks back up at Sehun, who is watching him with a slight frown. Luhan’s own smile falters. “Well, please come in. Jongin’s brought everyone he knows so I’m sure you’ll see some familiar faces.” He follows them inside and closes the door, latching it before turning to go back to the party, pausing as he is met with the slightly apprehensive form of Sehun.

Luhan smiles. “So, I thought he was your brothers friend,” Luhan comments, eyes flickering over to Joonmyun as he slips easily into a conversation with the man Jongin had briefly introduced as Kyungsoo. He looks back at Sehun. 

Sehun shrugs and shuffles his hands behind his back. “We’re actually kind of close,” Sehun says after a beat. “I see him a lot and he’s a bit like my second brother. Really nice.” Luhan raises an eyebrow. “I swear the man never frowns,” Sehun adds, looking over to Joonmyun and making a slight face before turning back to Luhan. “Seriously, I’ve tried almost every trick in the book.”

Luhan blinks up at him. “Have you tried putting shaving cream on hot chocolate instead of whipped cream?”

Sehun just stares at him for a moment, eyebrows stretching impossibly high before both of them snort at each other and Luhan beings to laugh, actually laugh. He hasn’t said something like that in what feels like years. 

“You are false advertising,” Sehun says, still giggling slightly. “That sweet face just a façade for a trickster.”

“Nah,” Luhan says, though he smiles up at Sehun. “I can be sweet to.”

Sehun just smiles at him for a moment before he makes a slightly startled sound and fidgets again. “Ah! I almost forgot-“

“Luhan,” a voice says just beside them and Luhan starts slightly, jerking to look at the new speaker. 

Joonmyun smiles extremely pleasantly from beside Luhan. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt or anything.” He looks between Sehun and Luhan curiously. 

Luhan is a good host. He knows this. Has spent years perfecting his art. “No, it’s fine,” he says and smiles kindly at Joonmyun. “We were just chatting.”

“That seems to be what most people are doing,” Joonmyun says, looking around briefly before turning back to Luhan. “With the exception of Chanyeol. Who doesn’t understand the concept of ‘inside voices’.”

“I sometimes wonder if helping to get him and Kris to date was a good idea,” Luhan says, craning to try to see Kris and Chanyeol through the crowd. 

“Are you kidding me?” Joonmyun says, and laughs, the sound pleasant. “I could kiss you for that.” His smile turns soft as he looks at Luhan. “Honestly, I haven’t seen Chanyeol this happy since we started Planet Records.”

“Wait,” Luhan says, turning slightly and giving Joonmyun a quizzical look. “You started Planet Records with Chanyeol?” Joonmyun nods easily. “But I thought Suho and Chanyeol-“

Joonmyun smiles easily, waving a hand slightly. “I am Suho,” he says, and his voice is amused. “Sorry, I should have clarified that.”

“Well, I did only meet you briefly,” Luhan says, shrugging slightly. “We didn’t really have the chance to get to know each other, did we?”

“Sadly no,” Joonmyun comments and flashes that brilliant smile again. Luhan decides, as he takes a sip of his wine, that Joonmyun is incredibly handsome and probably far too polite for his own good. Luhan finds that he doesn’t mind. 

It isn’t until forty minutes have passed of talking to Joonmyun that Luhan realizes Sehun has disappeared. He frowns, looking about for a moment before turning to a confused Joonmyun. “Where’s Sehun?”

“He left a while ago,” Joonmyun says and Luhan vaguely wonders when they had maneuvered into the living room. “Wandered off somewhere. Why?”

Luhan frowns at the space over Joonmyun’s shoulder. “Nothing,” he says vaguely and takes another sip of wine before turning back to Joonmyun. “I just didn’t really get to say hi to him.”

“If you really want to say hi to Sehun, he’s being cornered by the fridge by Jongin and Chen,” Baekhyun says, sidling up to the conversation. “Hey Suho. Still smiling I see.”

Joonmyun’s eyebrow quirks. “I see Sehun is still hanging out at RumbleMuffins frequently then.”

Baekhyun shrugs. “I don't know if I’d call it ‘hanging out’ so much as incessant pestering.” His sharp eyes flash to Luhan. “He’s a good kid though. Did you get his house warming present yet?”

Luhan frowns slightly. “Housewarming present?” Luhan repeats, looking at Baekhyun, who raises his eyebrows. 

“Yeah,” Baekhyun says, and his eyes flash to Joonmyun. “I would have thought he’d have given it to you when he got here. He was really annoying about it, actually.”

“He never said anything,” Luhan comments, looking towards the kitchen. He can see a few people have left, though the apartment is still filled with various conversations.

“You know, you could go and see what it is,” Baekhyun remarks as his mouth quirks. “Don’t worry about Suho, I’ll try to make sure he doesn’t get lonely.” He flashes a smile at Joonmyun, who smiles faintly back before looking to Luhan. He nods and Luhan’s forehead creases for a moment before he turns and walks to the kitchen.

“Hey,” Luhan says, poking Yixing in the side as he enters his own kitchen, eyes scanning for Sehun. “Have you seen Se- what the hell are you doing?”

Yixing looks up at Luhan, something that looks like chocolate smeared on his nose and smiles. There are ingredients everywhere and Yixing is holding a spatula with one hand and the other gripping what is clearly rum. “Well, I was going to make banana’s foster, but you don’t have any bananas or ice cream, so I’m improvising.”

“With what?” Luhan asks, trying to make sense of the random assortment of things on his counter. “I highly doubt that you need vinegar or capers.” He pauses. “Why do I even have capers?”

“In case you have salmon,” a voice says from behind Luhan and he turns, eyes slightly wide to see Sehun standing behind him, smiling sheepishly. “Hi.”

"Hey!” Luhan says brightly and Yixing snorts behind him. Luhan tries to kick him surreptitiously and fails. “You disappeared,” he continues when Sehun’s eyebrows furrow slightly. 

“Well, you seemed kind of busy,” Sehun says and shuffles, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. 

Luhan frowns slightly. “I was just talking.”

Sehun shifts and shrugs. “Yeah.” He flashes a bright smile at Luhan. “Anyway, this is a great housewarming! You really did a great job with the place.” Luhan tilts his head to the side slightly, a look of confusion on his face. “Oh sorry. I used to know the previous tenants pretty well,” Sehun elaborates. “We would have movie nights sometimes and curl up on the floor and watch old movies and throw popcorn around.” He colors faintly and scratches the side of his face. “Sorry, that sounds weird.”

“Actually, it sounds great,” Luhan says, and smiles, shoving Yixing as the other mimics him softly to the saucepan he’s using to make… something. 

“But I like it better now,” Sehun continues, glancing around and seeming to relax a bit more. “Much less pink and flowers.” Luhan bites his lip to keep from snorting out a laugh. 

“I’m glad you approve of my color pallet,” Luhan says instead and smiles at Sehun whose mouth and nose scrunch in a smile. “By the way, Baekhyun said you brought me a present?” Sehun’s mouth opens slightly and his face colors as he rubs a hand through his hair. “You did?”

Sehun laughs nervously and fidgets. “Well, I, um-“

“Don’t eat it, Luhan,” Jongin says, suddenly sidling up and throwing an arm around Sehun’s shoulders. “I swear, the last time I tried anything of Sehun’s, I nearly chipped a tooth.”

“Yah!” Sehun protests, slapping Jongin in the chest as his friend grins fiendishly at him. “You did not chip a tooth!”

“I said nearly!” Jongin retorts and continues to grin. He turns to look at Yixing. “What are you doing?”

“Making compote,” Yixing answers, not even turning around as he answers and Jongin pulls himself from Sehun to saunter to his boyfriend. 

“What happened to bananas foster?” Jongin inquires. 

“Luhan doesn’t believe in ice cream or bananas,” Yixing answers and turns to smirk at Luhan. 

Jongin raises his eyebrows. “Who doesn’t believe in bananas or ice cream?”

Luhan chooses wisely to ignore the pair. “You made me something?” he asks, feeling just a bit too excited for his own good as he looks at Sehun. “You didn't have to do that. I mean, you gave me the welcome basket.”

Sehun shifts and his tongue darts to his lips again. “It’s nothing special,” he says. “Really, actually, Jongin’s right. I should just take it back so you don’t poison yourself.”

“How is Luhan poisoning himself?” asks Joonmyun, arriving in the kitchen and holding a large number of empty bottles. “Sorry, I just thought I’d try to help clean up a bit. I know how hard hosting social events can be.” He flashes a smile at Luhan. 

Luhan blinks for a second before smiling in appreciation and taking the bottles from Joonmyun. “No, thanks, that’s sweet of you.” He quickly puts the bottles into the recycling. “Thanks.”

“Also, there seems to be something up with your sound system,” Joonmyun adds, jerking a hand towards the living room, which Luhan only now notices is conspicuously lacking in the music he’d put on earlier. “Jonghyun and Chanyeol were trying to figure it out but I thought we should talk to you first.”

Luhan barely thinks as he pushes back into the crowd, muttering a hurried thanks to Joonmyun as he brushes by him to try to ensure the safety of his Bose system. That thing cost a fortune. By the time he has the speakers sorted out, Yixing and Jongin are presenting what appears to be a rum enhanced raspberry compote atop cheesecake that Kyungsoo had brought to everyone and Luhan gets handed a plate by Joonmyun, who smiles pleasantly and remarks that he “just wanted to make sure the host wasn’t forgotten at his own party.”

Luhan blushes. It’s strange.

It isn’t until much later, when Kyuhyun and Changmin come up to tell him they’re leaving that Luhan realizes it’s nearly ten thirty at night. He waves goodnight to the two models in a slight daze before turning back to Yixing and Jongin, who are lounging on the couch with himself and Minseok as Joonmyun argues with Chanyeol and Kris watches everything with a faint smile on his face. 

“Is it really that late?” Luhan asks, turning to Minseok. 

“Yeah,” Yixing says, looking back at him and raising an eyebrow. “How did you not notice when Eunhyuk and Minho left. It was like the noise level went down by half.”

“I guess I was just distracted,” Luhan says, pushing himself up and grunting slightly. “Sorry, let me show you guys out.”

As Luhan makes to close the door after Changmin and Kyuhyun, he is interrupted by Joonmyun laying a soft hand on his shoulder. “Hey,” Joonmyun says and his voice is kind. “This was a great housewarming.”

“Thanks,” Luhan says and grins widely at the other man. “I’m glad you could come. I like meeting new people.” 

Joonmyun’s smile is warm. “I’m really glad I could come to. It was really nice to actually meet you aside from a swift introduction while Sehun burns curry.” He laughs slightly. “Anyway, I have to head out myself.”

Luhan fidgets slightly. “Okay,” he says and makes to open the door. “It is getting late. I may kick out the others soon.”

Joonmyun looks like he’s hesitating. “There is one thing,” he finally says and Luhan looks at him curiously. “Do you like chamber music?”

Luhan blinks. “Chamber music?”

Joonmyun chuckles softly. “Yeah, it’s like classical music-“

Luhan laughs and stops Joonmyun with a nod. “I know what Chamber music is, I don’t live under a rock.”

“Some people are ignorant of fine culture,” Joonmyun says with a smirk. “Anyway, I was asking because there is a group from France coming in this weekend and I have tickets. I was wondering if you might be interested in going?”

Luhan blinks. Then he blinks again. And then blinks some more for good measure. “Um,” he says and looks at Joonmyun’s patiently waiting face. Joonmyun is, in short handsome. Very much so. He is also extremely kind, as he has been demonstrating all night. He is also, very clearly, asking Luhan out. “Sure?” Luhan doesn’t know why it sounds like a question.

Luhan ends up giving Joonmyun his number, earning him a brilliant smile that leaves Luhan feelings slightly giddy and slightly uneasy. He walks back to the kitchen after closing the door after Joonmyun and grabs the milk sitting on the counter. He opens the fridge and freezes. 

On the top shelf, next to the eggs and a random jar of pickles, sits a very oddly shaped but very distinct cake. There is a lopsided but carefully drawn smiley face on top. 

“Sehun made you a cake,” Yixing says from beside him and Luhan jumps, turning to look at his friend with startled eyes. Yixing nods at the confection in the fridge. “Though I’d think twice about eating that. Jongin says that he nearly chipped a tooth on a crescent roll Sehun gave him once. And I’m not sure how you even mess up crescent rolls. It’s like toast, except in an oven. And you shouldn’t eat them raw.”

Luhan stares at Yixing. “Sometimes I wonder if your brain just is a black hole of oddity.”

Yixing beams at him. “Good thing my face is fantastic. It distracts from the weird,” he replies and Luhan snorts. “Seriously, though, this kid made you a goddamn cake.” He looks at the cake. “And, really, that is one special cake.”

Luhan laughs and shoves Yixing before turning to look back at the cake. “Where is he?”

Yixing frowns. “He left a while ago,” he answers and Luhan turns to him, face falling. Yixing rolls his eyes. “You were clearly preoccupied.”

“I was not,” Luhan blurts out and pouts as he closes the refrigerator door. 

“Oh, come on,” Minseok says, wandering into the kitchen. “That Suho guy was basically gunning for you the second he walked in here. Sehun’s not blind.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Luhan frowns at his two friends and Yixing snorts.

“And you call me stupid,” the Chinese man mutters under his breath before poking Luhan in the forehead. 

“So, did you get his number?” Minseok presses on, watching Luhan carefully. 

“Whose?” Luhan asks, swatting away Yixing’s hand.

“Joonmyun’s,” Kris says, walking the kitchen as well, a few empty plates in his large hands. “Who else?”

“No,” Luhan says truthfully. 

“Are you serious?” Kris asks him, raising an eyebrow high as he looks at Luhan. 

“Chanyeol is wearing off on you,” Yixing remarks. “You’re actually making real facial expressions.” He turns to Luhan. “We should get awards or something for our efforts.”

“No, I did not get Joonmyun’s number,” Luhan says, ignoring Yixing’s teasing smile and Minseok’s amused smirk as he walks to the sink to start loading his china into the dish washer. “He got mine,” he continues much softer. 

“Haha! I knew it,” Minseok jeers clapping Luhan jovially on the back. Luhan tries to smile at his friend. But something just feels off about it and he falls asleep later that night starting at his ceiling, splayed out in every direction, and thinking of the smiley face cake in his fridge and Joonmyun’s warm smile. 

Luhan has always been good at math. But somehow, something here doesn’t add up. 

Luhan is getting home from work late on Wednesday when he nearly runs into Sehun by the bus stop on their street. This is not because Luhan wasn’t paying attention, but because Sehun is literally leaping off of the bus and almost collides with Luhan in his apparent desperation to escape public transportation. 

“Oh my God, I’m so sorr- Luhan!” Sehun’s face goes through about six expressions before settling on shock, his face coloring slightly as his eyes widen, his lower lip dragging between his teeth. “Hi!”

“Hi!” Luhan responds, his mouth stretching in a smile, amused at how flustered Sehun appears having just rushed from a bus. His hair is ruffled and his collar is sticking up oddly. Then he frowns, remembering the weekend. “You left early from the party,” he says and Sehun fidgets, letting out a soft awkward laugh. “I never got to really talk to you. Or thank you for the cake.”

“I’m sorry,” Sehun says and looks at Luhan’s building, his mouth parted slightly as his eyebrows lower faintly, before he looks back and Luhan and his expression is positively guilty. “I just got a little tired of Jongin and Yixing trying to cover me in flour and demanding I go get them bananas.”

Luhan snorts. “I can imagine that getting old,” he reasons. “You’re forgiven.” Sehun brightens and Luhan’s mouth seems stuck in a smile. “Thanks for the cake, by the way.” He cocks his head slightly to the side. “I thought you said you couldn’t really make cakes.”

“I should probably apologize more for the cake than leaving early,” Sehun says, running a hand through his already messy hair. “I hope you weren’t poisoned.”

“No, it was delicious,” Luhan mostly lies, and purses his lips as Sehun looks at him skeptically before both of them burst out laughing. “Okay, it was probably the worst cake I’ve ever had, but I really appreciated the effort. Honestly, like I said, you already gave me a welcome basket. You didn’t have to go and make me a cake.”

“I still can’t believe you ate it,” Sehun says, adjusting his bag over his shoulder. “I would have thought Jongin would have warned you. Or was he too busy trying to help Yixing cook.”

“Oh, he did warn me,” Luhan tells Sehun and shifts his grip on his briefcase. “So did Yixing. I just didn’t listen.” Sehun snorts out a laugh as Luhan joins him, the two laughing freely on the side of the street at close to 9 in the evening. “Hey, have you had dinner?” Luhan asks suddenly, looking at Sehun curiously.

“I think I shoved a handful of nuts and a snickers into my mouth around 7:30,” Sehun says, frowning as he looks at Luhan’s shoulder, his eyebrows furrowing. “Does that count?”

“If you're a freshman in college,” Luhan snorts and Sehun’s tongue wets his lips. “Want to grab a bite to eat? I just finished up reports and trying to keep Tao from murdering CL.”

“Who’s CL?” Sehun asks, automatically falling into step beside Luhan as the secretary turns to walk towards the Japanese noodle shop he remembers seeing on Monday.

“Tao’s biggest nightmare and Kris’s stalker,” Luhan says, flashing a slanted smirk at Sehun.

“You seem amused,” Sehun remarks, eyebrows raised.

“I need to get my entertainment somehow,” Luhan shrugs and Sehun huffs a laugh into the night air.

Sehun talks a lot over his bowl of udon while Luhan listens, commenting and joking with the younger as he digs his way through a plate of soba. Luhan learns a lot about Sehun. He’s almost done with school, just about to finish his thesis. He also lisps when he feels awkward or excited and his eyes vanish to crescents when he smiles broadly. 

His favorite drink is chocolate bubble tea. 

Luhan likes his smile and the way his voice rings. 

Luhan finds himself smiling more over dinner than he realizes he has in the past month. Luhan tells Sehun about EXO M, about how he used to live in China before choosing a university abroad. How he loves soccer but hasn’t been able to play since he started working because he just doesn’t have the time anymore thanks to his horrifically demanding job.

Sehun promises to play soccer with him on weekends and steals a dumpling unnecessarily from the plate between them, sticking it in his mouth and grinning triumphantly. 

Luhan arrives home to a voicemail flashing on his phone from Joonmyun, suggesting Joonmyun picks him up at six thirty for their evening and to call him when he’s free. Luhan stares at his phone for a good half hour, lounging on his bed, legs akimbo and frowning before he finally hits the ‘call’ button and places the device against his ear.

On Friday, Luhan is greeted by Joonmyun’s handsome face smiling at him outside of his apartment building. Joonmyun doesn't take Luhan’s hand but does fall into close step with him as he leads Luhan to his car. “How do you feel about French food?” Joonmyun asks as he slides into the driver’s side and guns the ignition.

“Positively,” Luhan answers, offering a smile at Joonmyun. 

“Good,” Joonmyun says and smiles brilliantly. “I was hoping we could grab dinner before the concert.”

Luhan smiles.

Dinner turns out to be delicious. Actually, the entire night is essentially the most perfect date Luhan has ever really been on. Joonmyun takes him to a very nice restaurant, where they sit and talk and it’s very comfortable, Joonmyun with his ease and smiles and the food is excellent. They chat idly, joking and laughing softly on the short ride to the concert. 

The concert itself is pleasant, but it is clearly not the perfect choice for either of them. Luhan fidgets absently as the musicians start up another movement from a Mahler symphony. Joonmyun leans close into his side, a hand coming to rest gently against the inside of his wrist. “We don’t have to stay,” he says softly into Luhan’s ear. Luhan turns and looks at him, an eyebrow cocked in question. Joonmyun’s mouth smiles sideways. “I never really was a huge fan of Mahler. It always makes me feel like I’m at a funeral.”

“There’s never anything fun about a funeral,” Luhan replies softly. 

“Too true,” Joonmyun agrees and jerks his head towards the exit. “C’mon, we don’t have to prove we’re sophisticated. We already are.” He drags Luhan from the concert quietly, his hand warm around Luhan’s wrist, gripping gently and Luhan knows he should feel his heart jump.

But it doesn’t. It’s strange. 

They go to a park that has a river, walking along side and chatting idly. They stop by a group of street performers and Luhan laughs, turning to look at Joonmyun and startling slightly when he finds Joonmyun smiling at him, holding out an ice cream. Luhan raises an eyebrow.

Joonmyun laughs. “Who doesn’t like ice cream?” he asks and steps a little closer to Luhan. Luhan just swallows and looks down at the ice cream. It’s vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. 

Joonmyun drops Luhan off at his apartment close to ten thirty, a smile gracing his lips like it has most of the night as he gently takes Luhan’s hand, walking him to the door of the apartment complex under the street lights. “Thank you,” he says, his eyes gentle as they look at Luhan in the night. 

Luhan’s forehead creases slightly. “For what?” 

“For saying yes,” Joonmyun answers, and his hand squeezes very gently. “I had a really enjoyable time.”

Luhan thinks about the evening and then smiles himself. “I did too,” he says honestly. Because he did. Joonmyun is, if anything, the perfect guy. He is kind, handsome, gentle, considerate, and impeccably thoughtful. He is everything Luhan should want, everything Luhan should date, and everything Luhan should hold onto and never let go. The epitome of gentleman and ideal. 

“I’d love to take you out again some time,” Joonmyun says, leaning just a little closer to Luhan and tracing a thumb over the back of Luhan’s hand softly, his eyes flickering downwards. “If you’d let me.” He looks back up to Luhan.

Luhan says yes.

Joonmyun is the perfect relationship. 

Which is why Luhan is so confused when his heart doesn’t skip or race or pound when Joonmyun smiles like gold and pulls away, without a kiss because he’s too goddamn perfect to rush, and walks back, throwing a delighted smile over his shoulder before leaving. It’s why Luhan is confused his skin doesn’t tingle or burn, why his face isn’t hot and his stomach isn’t in knots. He frowns at his ceiling that night for an hour, trying to figure out what is wrong with him. 

Luhan is coming back from the grocery store on Sunday when he hears his name being called and turns, looking for the owner of the voice. Sehun is jogging towards him, smiling brightly, and Luhan smiles back without thinking. 

“Hey,” Luhan says, as Sehun comes up to him. 

“Hi,” Sehun says, slightly breathless and beaming at the smaller man. “What’s up?”

Luhan’s smile quirks to the side. “Oh, nothing much,” he answers and does his best to shrug with the weight of his groceries on his arms. “Just, you know, taking a Sunday stroll.”

“With enough food to last you all winter,” Sehun says and smirks. “Interesting choice of weight training, if you ask me.”

Luhan can’t help it. He laughs. He kicks lightly towards Sehun. “So, what are you up to?”

Sehun licks his lip. Luhan notices he does this a lot. “I was actually just about to go out for bubble tea,” Sehun says and shuffles slightly. “I haven’t been in a while and, well, when the time calls for bubble tea-“

“One simply must bubble tea,” Luhan finishes when Sehun falters in his answer and Sehun lights up, smiling brightly. 

“Want to join me?” Sehun asks, and fidgets.

“Do I have to bring my groceries with me?” Luhan asks, giving a slightly coy smile. 

Sehun laughs and it’s a very light sound. “Only if you can’t bare to part from them,” he says and Luhan chuckles. 

“I’ll be right back,” Luhan says, turning to enter his apartment building. “Give me a minute?”

“I’ve give you fifteen, how’s that?” Sehun says and smiles. It’s warm and Luhan feels the same warmth spread through his chest. 

Fifteen minutes later he’s walking with Sehun down the street to Sehun’s favorite spot for bubble tea, chatting idly. Though over dinner initially Sehun had been the one speaking like a run-away train, today Luhan actually finds himself talking, speaking more than he has in a long time. And it’s pleasant. Sehun, though he is rarely polite in his speech, turns out to be both a good talker and listener. 

Sehun gets chocolate bubble tea. Luhan gets Taro.

After bubble tea, since Luhan doesn’t really have anything to do today besides look over some reports, he agrees when Sehun suggests they go to RumbleMuffins and bother Baekhyun.

“Do you always bother Baekhyun?” Luhan asks, walking easily in Sehun’s stride with his hands in his pockets. 

“I don’t know if you would call it bothering, per se,” Sehun says, looking off into space and smiling faintly. “It’s just Baekhyun is the least dramatic of all of us. Well, aside from myself,” he adds and grins. Luhan snickers. “But really, we’re all close.” He frowns. “I would usually hang out with Jongin more but now he’s mostly preoccupied. Plus, Baekhyun needs to be bothered or else he’ll go rancid.”

Luhan’s eyebrows raise significantly. “Rancid?”

“I dunno,” Sehun says, shrugging and coloring significantly. “It seemed like the proper word at the time. He just works himself too hard and refuses to hire help at RumbleMuffins. Sometimes I worry about him.”

“So you visit him all the time and basically make his life more difficult?” Luhan asks and Sehun nods happily.

“I’m the best of friends,” Sehun says and smirks at Luhan. “What’s shakin’ Bacon?” Sehun calls loudly as he pushes open the door to RumbleMuffins and Luhan sees Baekhyun roll his eyes at his colorful assortment of mugs and cups.

“Are you here to talk more about your feelings, or should I say probl-?” Baekhyun asks before his eyes land on Luhan. “Oh, hi.” His mouth snaps closed as he watches Luhan follow Sehun into his café. “Nice to see you again, Luhan.”

“You too, Baekhyun,” Luhan says and smiles, his eyes flashing to Sehun briefly as the taller shifts beside him. Baekhyun keeps looking between them with something that may be confusion or scheming on his features. “I hope you are well.”

“Perfect as peaches,” Baekhyun says and cocks his head slightly as Luhan allows himself to make himself comfortable in one of the chairs. Baekhyun looks at Sehun. “Fort?”

Sehun seems to be confused, and he turns to Luhan with a questioning expression. “Do you want to make a fort?”

“A fort?” Luhan repeats, and he has to admit, something about the idea of making a fort is… appealing. It’s impractical, and childish, and completely useless and he really couldn’t imagine anything more entertaining right now. “Sure, why not?”

Sehun’s eyebrows raise even more and he turns to Baekhyun. “I guess we’re making a fort.”

“I guess you are!” Baekhyun chirps and looks far too happy. “So, Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte, as per usual, Bambi?”

Luhan frowns at the nickname. “I really don’t usually go by that name, despite what Minseok may have said at the party.”

“I can call you Lulu instead,” Baekhyun suggests and Sehun snorts into a fist before swiftly composing himself. Luhan watches him in amusement. 

“Just Luhan is fine,” Luhan says. “And I think I’ll get an Americano today, if that’s alright.”

Baekhyun makes a flourish with a spoon. “Sure thing, Lulu,” he says and flashes a grin. “Now go get lost in blankets. I’ll have your coffee’s done soon.”

“I didn’t even order,” Sehun says, frowning slightly as Luhan gets up to make his way to the massive pile of blankets and pillows. 

“You don’t have to,” Baekhyun says and grins. “You’re getting a Caramel Macchiato. No arguments. Go play in a fort while I caffeinate you.”

Sehun joins Luhan at the blankets a moment later as Luhan is dragging various throws and quilts out of the pile with unexpected excitement. “Is there a limit to how many we can take?” he asks, turning to Sehun and smiling, eyes shining.

Sehun looks at him in slight surprise. “Not really, especially since we’re the only ones here.” He pauses before grabbing a few pillows himself and throwing some blankets over his shoulder. “C’mon, we’re getting the best spot.”

“There’s a best one?” Luhan asks, feeling excitement rush through him as he follows Sehun’s form into the café.

Luhan doesn’t really know if it is the best spot in the café, but he does know that their fort is basically awesome. It took them close to forty minutes to construct but it is large, filled with comfort and folds of fabric, and Luhan is beaming as he sits inside the fort and looks out with a huge grin on his face. Sehun laughs and tries to get in with him but Luhan pushes him out, pouting. “Password,” he demands and Sehun blinks.

“Open Sesame?” Sehun tries and Luhan snorts. 

“Good enough,” Luhan answers and Sehun laughs, collapsing into the fort and the two of them just sit and talk for a good fifteen minutes while Baekhyun deals with a group of girls who just came in. 

“You two look cozy,” Baekhyun says, finally getting away from his customers and sitting at the table outside of Luhan and Sehun’s fort. 

“We should get an award for this thing,” Sehun tells Baekhyun and Luhan nods absently.

“I should get an award for having a fort café in the first place,” Baekhyun says and scoffs, tossing his head slightly so his hair falls more appropriately. “Though I will admit, it is a nice looking fort.” He looks at them for a few moments. “So, do you two see each other often?”

Luhan blinks at the question and glances over to Sehun, who licks his lips as he stares at Baekhyun. Luhan looks back to Baekhyun. “Well, we are neighbors, so we run into each other a lot.” He smiles. “Like this morning.”

“Oh, it was a casual encounter,” Baekhyun says, and makes an exaggerated tilt of the head as he looks at Sehun again. “How positively fantastic.” He grins widely before turning to Luhan. “By the way, I wanted to let you know that your housewarming was one of the best I’ve ever been to. You really do know how to host a good social gathering.”

“Well, considering my job basically demands perfection and social engagements, I’ve had a bit of practice,” Luhan shrugs. “It was nice to not have to keep introducing myself though. Or explaining my job and how I know Kris.”

“And you got to meet basically everyone Jongin knows,” Baekhyun comments, nodding at Luhan. “So, welcome to the group, I guess.” He pauses. “Even Suho was there.”

“Su-, oh Joonmyun,” Luhan says, remembering the clarifying first conversation with Joonmyun.

Baekhyun’s eyebrows raise. “You know his real name?”

“Well, yeah,” Luhan answers, feeling suddenly slightly uncomfortable. He still hasn’t quite figured out how he feels about Joonmyun and his perfection. “We ended up seeing each other on Friday.”

“You- wait, what?” Baekhyun asks, and is now no longer smiling at all. His eyes flicker to Sehun just as Luhan’s phone rings. 

Luhan mutters a quick apology before leaning out of the fort, pulling his phone from his pocket and putting it to his ear. “Hello?”

“I need you.”

“I’m sorry, this is Kris, correct?”

“Yixing is off playing house with Kai and I am having issues,” Kris’ voice continues and Luhan resists the urge to snigger. 

“The Almighty Wufan is having problems,” Luhan says into the phone and hears Kris sigh.

“Luhan, I’m serious. I actually need your help right now,” Kris says and his voice is tired, making Luhan’s face fall.

“What, did you kill someone accidentally?”

“I-” there is a pause. “Chanyeol and I had a fight and I don’t know what to do so could you please just get your ass over here because I need someone to tell me how to fix this.” Luhan just stares at the chair in front of him, mouth open. “Please?” Kris adds and Luhan is getting up before he knows it.

“I’ll be over in thirty,” Luhan answers and hangs up the phone. He turns to look at Baekhyun and Sehun, who are both watching him in confusion and degrees of concern. “I’m sorry,” Luhan says and offers an apologetic smile to Baekhyun and Sehun both. “I have to go. Apparently Kris fucked up stuff.”

Baekhyun’s face darkens. “Fix him so he can fix it because I do not want to pick up Chanyeol’s pieces again.”

Luhan looks at Baekhyun for a moment before offering a small smile. “I will do what I can. And trust me, Kris wouldn’t have called me if he didn’t want to keep Chanyeol. I haven’t seen him this wrapped up in anything aside from work in the entire time I have known him.” He looks briefly to Sehun. “I’ll catch you later, okay?”

Sehun just nods and Luhan is out the door swiftly as his mind flashes through numerous possibilities in which Kris could have messed up.

Apparently, Kris was not actually the one who messed up.

Kai was.

“So Kai seemed to think it would be _funny_ to tell Chanyeol that CL was seducing you and to watch out because you might just up and leave him for the crazy woman?” Luhan asks and looks at Kris in shock. “And when this was brought up, you didn't take it seriously and he didn’t quite appreciate that and you, being you, did not handle it properly. So now he’s confused and sad and not talking while you’re still mostly an idiot.”

Kris, in short, does not look like himself. In fact, he looks positively horrible. Even worse than when he had looked during Dragon Week. His hair is a complete mess (which never happens), his face looks like he hasn’t slept in days, and Luhan never even knew he owned shirts that weren’t designer label. “Also, since when did you own sweatpants and tee shirts?”

“I don’t” Kris mumbles into the hands he has cupped over his face. He lowers them just enough so that he can look at Luhan. “They’re Chanyeol’s. He often forgets his clothing, though sometimes it’s on purpose.”

“Jesus Christ, you’re so sickly in love with this man,” Luhan sighs, hands on his hips as Kris closes his eyes with a pained expression. “I’ll kill Kai.”

“That won’t help things,” Kris tells him and runs a hand through his hair, making it stand up even more. Luhan is seriously aghast. “That will only make Yixing mad and Tao go into more panic attacks. Not to mention you’ll be wanted for manslaughter. And I need you as a secretary, and more importantly, as my friend.”

“You’re turning into a sentimental bastard,” Luhan says and smiles softly at Kris, who is clearly distraught. 

“Just, what do I do?” Kris asks, and drops his hands to the table. “Tao can’t help me this time and I don’t want to ask him for fear of getting him either in a mood swing or gloating.”

Luhan sighs, puffing out his cheeks as he looks absently towards Kris’ extremely large refrigerator. “You need to go and talk to Chanyeol. Today.” Luhan looks at Kris sternly. “Don't change, don’t shower, don’t do anything, just go like you are. Chanyeol needs to see you like this, know you are not doing well without him, and that you need him.”

“I can’t be seen in public like this,” Kris protests and his eyes widen at Luhan’s serious expression. “It’ll ruin me.”

“Then put on some damn sunglasses and have Taemin pick you up,” Luhan says, rolling his eyes. “Honestly, that boy has nothing else to do except play video games on his phone all day.” Kris raises an eyebrow and Luhan shrugs, flushing slightly. “We both go to the coffee shop outside the office a lot.”

“So, I go to Chanyeol looking like a disaster and, what?” Kris continues, leaning back in his kitchen chair and folding his arms over his chest. “Get down on my knees and tell him he’s the only one?”

“If you want to get punched,” Luhan says, and snorts out a laugh. “No, you go over, ask him to talk, and then he’ll refuse. Because, honestly, the man pushed you into a pond if I remember correctly. So you stay, outside of his apartment, looking like that, and wait.”

“This sounds like a horrible plan,” Kris grumbles, running a hand over his face, 

“Shut up, my genius is working,” Luhan snaps and purses his lips. “Chanyeol will open the door. He should let you in after about an hour. Maybe two, give or take.”

“I’m sitting outside his apartment for two hours,” Kris says skeptically. “What if he never lets me in?”

Luhan’s mouth twitches into a smile. “He will. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. And you will wait.” He shoots Kris a look. “You moon at almost all hours of the day. Plus, with the way you look at him, I don’t doubt you’ll wait.”

“And how do I look at him?” Kris asks, frowning. 

“Like he’s the best thing you’ve ever seen, heard, touched, or imagined in all of your existence,” Luhan says and feels a pang in his chest. “Like just knowing he is there beside you makes you happier than you’ve ever felt and every moment you are together is what makes the world spin.” Luhan’s chest is aching by the time he finishes. Because he’s just described everything he wants but doesn’t have. 

Kris is looking at him with a very complex expression. “You notice a lot about me,” he comments after a while.

“I notice things in general,” Luhan says simply and shakes himself, trying to rid the pangs of loneliness and longing from his chest. “But anyway, he’ll open the door.”

“And then I get on my knees and beg?” Kris asks, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” Luhan says. “You tell him the truth.” At Kris’ expression Luhan huffs, grabs Kris’ morning newspaper, and swats him in the head with it. “You tell him how much he means to you, how much you are absolutely in love with him, and how you barely even notice CL. You tell him how Kai is an idiot and how Chanyeol is, by extension, also an idiot for believing him.”

Kris looks at him, mouth in a line. “And then what?”

“I dunno,” Luhan says, feeling slightly exasperated. “Kiss him, stick your hand down his pants again, give him a hug, all of the above. Just initiate physical contact or something because he’ll need it after that confession.”

“And this will work?” Kris asks, his tone slightly desperate.

“It should,” Luhan says, nodding and feeling uncharacteristically exhausted. “Now, get out of here.” He smiles at Kris as the older man pushes himself up. “And good luck.”

Kris doesn’t come to work on Monday. Instead, he calls Luhan and tells his secretary he has shockingly good observational skills before briefly explaining he won’t be coming in today. Luhan doesn't ask why. Truthfully, he doesn't really want to know why. That evening, he gets an impromptu call from Joonmyun.

“I’m just curious, did Kris come to work this morning?” Joonmyun asks after they’ve exchanged the normal greetings.

Luhan blinks at his kitchen clock. “No, he called and told me he wasn't coming into work today.”

“Ah, that would explain it then,” Joonmyun says and Luhan can picture him nodding. 

“I’m guessing Chanyeol was also absent today,” Luhan says and feels his mouth tug in a smile. 

“You’re very perceptive,” Joonmyun says and Luhan laughs slightly.

“It’s just one of my many talents,” Luhan replies and leans easily against his counter, phone pressed to his ear as he smiles. 

“I hope I get to discover your other talents too some day,” Joonmyun says and Luhan stills slightly against the marble digging into the small of his back. 

Those words should have his stomach clenching, heat rising in his face, and a nervous giggle in his throat. He should not be saying “Maybe someday you will,” like he’s on autopilot. But maybe Luhan needs autopilot. 

Maybe that’s why it’s been so bad for so long. He’s been looking for something that doesn’t exist. Perhaps, it’s better with autopilot. With a man who is perfect because he is everything Luhan should want. Perhaps Joonmyun is that person Luhan basically described to Kris. That person who will look at him, or perhaps already does look at him, as if he is the best thing he has seen, heard, touched or imagined in all of his life. Maybe Luhan should forget that his stomach doesn’t leap immediately. That his heart doesn’t pound. Because Joonmyun is ideal.

Perhaps Luhan is just defective. 

“What are you doing this Friday?” Sehun asks him as they meet for bubble tea again on Wednesday and Luhan nearly chokes on a tapioca ball.

“I’m busy,” Luhan says, coughing slightly and feeling his face heat involuntarily.

“Oh,” Sehun says and his face falls. “With what?”

“I’m meeting with a friend.” Luhan doesn’t know why he’s lying. Just that he is, and something about telling Sehun about his second date with Joonmyun just makes Luhan’s stomach writhe. 

On Friday, Joonmyun picks up Luhan again with that same charming smile and perfect gentleman composure. This evening, he gently slips his hand into Luhan’s as they leave dinner and walk to a local entertainment district. Joonmyun takes him to the various open shows and exhibits, the two of them laughing at the groups performing and at one point Luhan finds himself singing along to a familiar song. 

Joonmyun beams at him when Luhan turns to him. “So I guess singing is one of your many talents,” he comments and Luhan’s stomach finally does something. “You have a beautiful voice.”

Luhan’s stomach twist but in the wrong way. And he doesn’t really know how to interpret it.

Joonmyun drops Luhan off outside of his apartment, hand held warm in his own and walks him to his apartment, smiling softly and warm and Luhan wants to have his heart race but it just wont cooperate. 

“I’ll call you?” Joonmyun suggests and Luhan nods, smiling and doesn’t pull away when Joonmyun presses a gentle kiss to the side of his face. Joonmyun, Luhan decides, is so perfect it hurts. He stares and pouts, curled up on his couch and hugging a throw pillow to his chest for a good fifteen minutes before grabbing his phone. A second later he has it pressed against his ear.

“Hello?” says a familiar voice, slightly distorted on the other end.

“Are you busy?” Luhan asks without bothering with formalities. 

“Um,” Sehun says and Luhan can hear him shuffle. “I’m finishing up a pizza. Why?”

“Do you want to come over and watch movies or something?”

There is a pregnant pause on the other line and Luhan wonders if Sehun is there before Sehun says, “What do you want me to bring over?”

Luhan beams at his television. “If you have any favorite movies, that might be good. I have popcorn.”

“Do you have cola?” Sehun asks and Luhan can hear him shuffling around.

“I am depressingly out of cola,” Luhan says, turning to his kitchen. 

“I’ll bring some then,” Sehun says. “Buzz you in ten!”

Sehun arrives in eight minutes and beams the second Luhan’s door is open. Luhan beams back and they end up lounging on the couch and floor eating and throwing popcorn at each other as they make fun of the old movies Sehun brought until close to three in the morning, when the warm pressure at Luhan’s side has him turning from the movie to see Sehun slumped into his side, clearly asleep. He reaches up unconsciously and cards his fingers through Sehun’s tousled hair, smiling gently. 

It isn’t until the next morning that Luhan realizes that that feeling, that amazing pull in his chest, is exactly what is missing from when he is with Joonmyun and he gags on his toothbrush.

“We’re getting lattes,” Luhan tells Tao as he walks into the designer’s studio without much announcement. Tao looks up, his face taut and tired as CL stands beside him, looking at him expressionlessly from her darkly lined eyes. 

“I’m working,” Tao snaps and his eyes narrow. “I don't have time for you and your lattes. I’m trying to ration my sanity.”

“All the more reason for us to get lattes,” Luhan says and flashes a smile to CL. “Do you mind?”

“Yes,” CL says in her dead intimidating voice.

“Good,” Luhan chirps and scurries over to Tao, grabbing his arm and dragging him from the female designer. Tao gives him a murderous look. “We’ll be back in two hours.”

“Two hours!” Tao squawks at him as they leave and Luhan drags him down the hall. _“I have designs! I have work! Ih ave inspiration and hardly the patience nor the desire to-"_

“Oh shut up,” Luhan huffs as he drags Tao into the elevator. “We’re getting lattes because I need to talk to you and you need to get away from CL before your serial killer nickname becomes fact.”

Tao blinks at him. “You need to talk to me?” he inquires, an eyebrow raising in curiosity before he leans back, an appraising look on his face. “This isn’t about me calling you ‘Bambi’ is it, because –“

“No,” Luhan cuts Tao off, shaking his head and sighing. “This isn’t about people calling me Bambi. This is…” He trails off and frowns as the numbers descend floor levels. “I’ll tell you over lattes.”

Tao, God bless him, doesn’t say anything, just watches Luhan keenly as they order their drinks and find a place to sit, relatively secluded, in the café near EXO M. Tao gives Luhan maybe two minutes to attempt to drink his latte before he’s huffing and leaning back in his chair superfluously. “Okay, enough waiting. Tell me what the fuck we’re talking about or I’m going to stick you with pins.”

Luhan raises an eyebrow over his latte. “We’re not in your studio,” he comments. “How can you stick me full of pins?”

“Never underestimate my resources,” Tao says and Luhan doesn’t even want to think about how Tao may have various deadly objects hidden on his person. “Seriously, we’re drinking lattes, which we never do unless one of us is having significant problems. And I’m not, so what are your problems?” Luhan fidgets and fingers his to-go cup. “Is this about Suho and your strange non-existent feelings towards him?”

Luhan looks up at Tao, eyes slightly wide in surprise. “How did you know I was dating Suho?”

“I’m seeing Jongdae,” Tao sighs and taps his fingers against his own to-go cup. “That, and I listen. And no one can ever shut up Kai when he wants to talk. He and Yixing are like waterfalls of gossip.”

Luhan looks at his hands, frowning. “We’ve gone out a few times, that is true,” Luhan admits and is still perturbed by the lack of feeling in his chest at the admission. “But I don’t know what it is exactly.”

“Luhan, why are you dating him?” Tao asks, and he has this knowing look in his dark eyes that Luhan both admires and despises. It’s like Tao knows more about him than he does.

“Well, he’s-“ Luhan stops himself and purses his lips. “Perfect,” he finally finishes and Tao’s eyebrow raises significantly. “He’s generous, kind, has a great personality, is extremely handsome, and is basically the ideal relationship.”

“And you have absolutely no romantic urges towards him at all,” Tao adds and Luhan silently wonders if he really is so easy to read.

“How do you know this?” Luhan asks instead and takes another sip of his latte.

Tao rolls his eyes dramatically. “Because if you were actually romantically attracted to him and he was dating you, you would be insufferably happy and basically rub it in everyone’s face how amazing your life suddenly has become and Kris would finally get a taste of how obnoxious he has been for the past two months.”

“You’re terrifyingly observant, you know that?” Luhan tells Tao and Tao smirks before Luhan sighs, sinking into his chair. “It’s not that I don’t like Joonmyun, it’s just that, well…”

“You're not feeling for him the way you are for another person,” Tao again finishes for him and Luhan stares at him, eyes slightly wide.

“How do you know that?”

Tao shrugs. “That was actually just a lucky guess, but usually my lucky guesses are about 90% correct. So, who is it?”

“I-“

“It’s your neighbor, isn’t it?”

Luhan swallows as his throat suddenly itches and his stomach jolts. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. The red he can feel creeping across his face is answer enough. 

“So it is Sehun.”

"I don’t know,” Luhan finally blurts out and flops back into his chair and glares at his latte. “It’s just, he’s so bright and interesting and fun and happy and we seem to get along so well and it’s like he’s my little brother and we just click together and-“ he cuts himself off because he’s rambling and Professional Luhan shouldn’t ramble. He can’t be Real Luhan right now. He just can’t. 

Because Real Luhan would start thrashing in his frustration and that is not acceptable in public. 

“And he finally makes you loosen up and enjoy yourself,” Tao supplies, finishing where Luhan broke off. “Just be yourself for once, which you haven’t been in almost six months because you’re too wrapped up in your professional world.”

“I repeat, you see too much.” Tao just slants his mouth upwards at him. 

“So,” Luhan says, sitting up and leaning over the table slightly. “What do I do?”

“Break off with Suho,” Tao says immediately and Luhan feels his throat clench. “You are currently leading the man on. He likes you. A lot. That much is extremely obvious. And you are not harboring the same feelings towards him. The more you drag this on, the worse it will be to stop and the farther you will get from trying things with Sehun and seeing if they work.”

“Are you suggesting I try to date Sehun?” Luhan asks and his throat feels dry as his stomach churns uncomfortably. 

Tao looks at him severely. “Yes,” he says and there is no room for question. “That is exactly what I am suggesting. Date him, fuck him, move in with him for all I care. Though you might want to check and see if things work.” He leans back into his chair elegantly. 

Luhan returns home feeling oddly clear and horribly confused at the same time. Kris hadn’t really noticed the slightly ruffled composure of his secretary, instead preferring to bury himself in work and complete reports as quickly as possible so he could leave early and go meet Chanyeol for an impromptu romantic dinner date. He looked impossibly happy as he called Taemin to come pick him up and take him to surprise Chanyeol at Planet Records. 

Luhan has barely made it up the first steps of his apartment before he decides differently and turns, walking determinately to Sehun’s building and flipping open his phone, pressing in Sehun’s number and waiting as the line rings.

Sehun picks up after three rings. “Hello?”

“Hi,” Luhan says and feels his palms begin to sweat lightly as he swallows nervously. This is probably not a good idea. “What are you up to?”

“I’m just getting out of my last class,” Sehun answers and Luhan can vaguely hear the white noise of university in the background. Oh right, Sehun is still a university student. “What’s up?”

Sehun is still ridiculously young.

Shit.

“I was just calling to see if you wanted to get bubble tea,” Luhan says lamely and cringes at himself. “But I guess tonight is a bad night.”

“No!” Sehun says loudly on the other end and Luhan stares at the building number. “I’ll be back in about a half hour. Can we go then? I could use some bubble tea after today.”

“Okay,” Luhan says, and feels less sure of his response than usual. 

“I’ll come pick you up at your apartment, yeah?”

Luhan agrees, and returns to his home feeling slightly jittery. He changes from his work attire into a more comfortable set of jeans and a soft tee, running a hand through his hair absently and then staring at his now ruined hair and frowning. 

Sehun arrives far too soon and looks far too happy and Luhan feels far too conflicted. They get bubble tea and eat sandwiches. Sehun chatters happily and Luhan feels a lot of emotions he thinks may be normal but still can’t quite contend with. His mind keeps flashing to Joonmyun and his smiles, his perfection, and how he is basically dating the other man. An overwhelming sense of guilt bubbles up in Luhan’s chest and he finds his appetite waning significantly. 

“So, how is University?” Luhan essentially vomits out the question.

Sehun blinks at him. “Not too bad,” Sehun admits. “I only really go two days a week, considering I’m almost done, but it’s not really that bad. The only significant thing I have to do is my thesis.” 

Luhan nods around the lump in his throat. “I remember completing my university degree,” he comments and feels foolish. “It was not an entirely enjoyable experience.”

“When did you complete your thesis?” Sehun asks and cocks his head to the side in curiosity. 

Luhan swallows as the realization slams into him. “Six years ago,” he says and realizes that, if he does the math correctly, Sehun is about six years younger than he is. 

“Wow, so you’ve only been out of school for six years?” Sehun asks and looks extraordinarily impressed. “So you’re, what, twenty seven?”

“Twenty eight,” Luhan replies around the rock in his throat. Oh god he should not feel old when he’s not even thirty.

“Wow, I thought you were much younger than that,” Sehun laughs out and leans back in his chair. “And here I was thinking you were only a year or two older than me. Now I’m finding out you’re six years my senior.” He coughs. “Sorry, I should be using more formal speech in that case.”

Luhan tries to laugh. He really does. But it sounds extremely forced on his ears as his stomach churns as the light catches Sehun’s brightly smiling face in the dinky bubble tea shop. 

Luhan gets home a few hours later and is dialing before he really registers what he’s doing. Joonmyun picks up after four rings.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Joonmyun?” Luhan says and his voice is shaking. 

“Luhan,” Joonmyun sounds so pleased it hurts. “It’s good to hear from you. What’s up?”

“Are you busy tomorrow night?”

Joonmyun picks up Luhan the next night outside of EXO M and Luhan directs him towards the beautiful restaurant Kris once recommended for him. It’s fantastic and Joonmyun is perfect and Luhan feels a horrible sense of guilt the entire time. He should date Joonmyun, this amazing, mature, polite, brilliant man who is almost the same age as him and who smiles like gold. 

Luhan should be falling head over heels for Joonmyun. He should be swooning under the candlelight and soft jazz music. He should have his heart pounding in his chest when Joonmyun takes him home and, with half lidded eyes, presses an extremely nice kiss against Luhan’s mouth. 

There are a lot of things Luhan tells himself he should be doing and feeling and having. 

But they are all the things he isn’t feeling and he kicks his bed in absolute frustration before collapsing onto it. Because Joonmyun is perfect and everything he should want.

It should be Joonmyun’s face swimming before his eyes as Luhan thrashes about on his bed in aggravation.

Not Sehun’s delightfully happy innocent smile.

-


	4. Sehun 2

Sehun 2

Sehun, not for the first time, seriously hates his brother. And not because his horrible, traitorous, backstabbing _Hyung_ left him alone and consistently seems to take massive amounts of amusement by thoroughly embarrassing him, but because he seems to think that forcing Sehun to act as matchmaker is an excellent and hysterical idea. Sehun glowers as he wrenches open the door to see Joonmyun’s _constantly_ smiling face and doesn’t even greet the older man, instead stomping back into his apartment to try to figure out how to draw a proper smiley face on the cake he spent five hours making this afternoon.

Sehun wants to kill whoever says baking cakes was simple. This one came from a box and it still was the most distressing task Sehun has ever attempted in his life. It certainly didn’t help his pride either when he had called Baekhyun in a panic and demanded what exactly ‘separating eggs’ meant. Baking has to be the most difficult science Sehun has ever encountered.

And Sehun mastered advanced physics in his sophomore year of high school. 

“What are you doing? We’re going to be late,” Joonmyun remarks, wandering into the apartment and cocking his head at the younger man. He stops dead when he sees Sehun bent over the kitchen counter, a knife covered in vanilla frosting clutched dangerously in one hand as the other grips a tube of red decorating gel, his face set in an extremely threatening expression as he glares at his monstrosity of a cake. “Is that a cake?”

“No,” Sehun snaps and his nose scrunches as his tongue is abused between his teeth in concentration. “It’s a bridge to Atlantis. What the fuck does it look like?”

“Did you make that?” Joonmyun asks, drifting closer and Sehun seriously wonders if the elder possesses any observational skills. Or survival instincts.

“No, I gave birth to it,” Sehun spits out and Joonmyun laughs. “Do you have any more completely useless questions or can I finally finish this in peace?”

“Why did you make a cake?” Joonmyun asks, finally backing off and leaning to look into the sink. It currently contains most of the dishes Sehun has in his kitchen. All in varying degrees of use. 

“I’m bringing it to Luhan’s house warming,” Sehun answers as he finally squeezes out the first bit of icing into the top of the cake. He grins when at least this first step is conquered before continuing.

“Are you trying to poison him?” Joonmyun asks and Sehun’s hand jerks involuntarily. His smiley face now has an expression which is shockingly reminiscent of Chanyeol when he laughs. The right eye looks no degree of normal. At all.

“No, I-“ Sehun huffs and scowls, staring at his ruined design for a moment before trying to scrape off the mistake. He can feel Joonmyun watching him and it creeps up his spine. “I just want to be friendly.”

“Didn’t you already give him a fruit basket?” Joonmyun muses as he watches Sehun work meticulously. “I mean, isn’t a cake a little excessive?”

Sehun stands up and shoots Joonmyun the most exasperated expression he can possibly come up with. “It’s a house warming,” he drawls out irritably. “You’re supposed to bring something. Or did you not bring anything and therefore completely mess up _Hyung’s_ horrible attempt at meddling so I can _set you up with my neighbor._ ” Sehun spits out the last part of his sentence with a venom he didn’t entirely know he possessed. 

Joonmyun stares at him for a moment, his mouth neither smiling nor frowning and Sehun has a brief moment of feeling actual victory before the elder is smiling and he wants to smash a fist into the tub of frosting by his elbow out of pure frustration. “You’re cute, you know that?”

Sehun brandishes the frosting covered knife at Joonmyun’s grinning face. “You stop trying to suck up to me,” he grates out, frowning. “You owe me so much for this, I’ll have you know.”

“Hey, you’re just bringing me to the housewarming, which, if I remember correctly, said you could bring a guest,” Joonmyun points out and his eyes stray to Sehun’s cake. “Don’t act like I owe you my first born child.”

“You’re gay, why would you offer up your first born child?” Sehun grumbles, turning back to his cake and trying to make the face artistically pleasant. Considering the only way Sehun managed to pass any of his art class requirements in high school was by meticulously coloring geometric figures, it’s not really surprising the cake looks about as plain as dirt. But hey, he tried.

“It’s a figure of speech,” Joonmyun sighs and Sehun can see him lazily put his hands in his pockets, a hip leaning against Sehun’s sink. 

“It’s a figure of speech,” Sehun parrots back in a nasally voice and wrinkles his nose.

“You’re not five years old,” Joonmyun says, walking over and looking over his shoulder at his cake. “You know, it doesn’t actually look that bad. The smiley face is kind of endearing.”

“It looks like it had a seizure,” Sehun says, straightening to look at Joonmyun with a raised eyebrow. 

“So it looks like Chanyeol,” Joonmyun says, and his eyes glint. Sehun snorts and feels slightly less irrationally panicked. Joonmyun’s smile widens at Sehun’s reaction. “C’mon, we really should get going.”

As they wait outside of Luhan’s apartment for the door to open, Joonmyun standing slightly behind Sehun as the taller shifts agitatedly, Joonmyun gives Sehun an appraising look that Sehun really doesn’t appreciate. “Why are you so nervous?”

“I’m not nervous,” Sehun says and his tone is slightly clipped. He’s not nervous. “I’m excited,” he says and it doesn't really sound convincing.

“Excited?” Joonmyun repeats and Sehun winces slightly because Joonmyun has known him since he was a kid and Joonmyun knows the difference between normal Sehun and excited Sehun. He can also typically see when Sehun is lying through his teeth. Like now. 

But Joonmyun doesn’t have the time to pry as a moment later the door is opening and Luhan is standing there, practically glowing and Sehun is smiling automatically, shifting the cake hidden behind his back. 

“Hi!” Luhan basically beams. “I was wondering if you were coming. You had me worried there.”

Sehun can feel his face color and immediately ducks, because he’s pretty sure that’s not a normal response. Especially from him. “Sorry I’m late,” he says. I got held up with, um-“ and Sehun can’t really finish because that would require explaining how he made a surprise cake for Luhan and that’s far too awkward so instead he just bites his lip.

Apparently Joonmyun is the most socially adept person alive. “It’s my fault,” he says, pushing past Sehun. 

“Do I know you?” Luhan asks, frowning slightly at Joonmyun as the other smiles warmly. 

Joonmyun laughs and Sehun as to admit Joonmyun has class and is a little perfect and awesome and Sehun, as much as he tries to annoy Joonmyun. Sehun does have to admit that Joonmyun is probably one of the most admirable people he knows. “I met you in Sehun’s apartment the other night,” Joonmyun says easily, shaking Luhan’s hand. “Kim Joonmyun.”

Sehun doesn’t really get a chance to talk to Luhan after that. He’s basically done what he agreed to with a frown when his brother pressured him with obnoxiously persistent jabs to his ribs. He has brought Joonmyun to the housewarming so Joonmyun can once more meet and talk to Luhan, can try to see if Luhan is potentially interested or even available. Can _‘test the waters’_ as _Hyung_ so eloquently put it.

But that doesn’t negate the fact that Sehun wants to talk to Luhan too. In fact, Sehun really was looking forward to the housewarming himself. There is a lot about Luhan he likes. He is friendly, he is bright, he is interesting, he is funny, he is easy to talk to, and there is something about the way he smiles that has Sehun knowing that he’s probably not nearly as uptight as he might seem at times. But talking to Luhan seems impossible as Joonmyun smiles and chats with ease, drawing smiles and laughs from Sehun’s new neighbor and the younger feels something bitter rise in his throat. 

Sehun usually isn’t adept at slinking anywhere. He’s too tall, too lanky, and too blatantly obvious to really properly sneak. Well, he can probably sneak a lot better than Chanyeol, but that’s not saying much. However, Sehun must have drastically improved his sneaking skills, because he slips away from Joonmyun and Luhan after they’ve been chatting for five minutes completely unnoticed and immediately feels resentful towards basically everything.

“What are you doing?”

Sehun starts up from where he is hunched over the refrigerator, putting his cake inside and hoping no one really has a reason to go to the fridge. He jerks up, face flushing at being caught, and swallows at the raised eyebrow of Yixing.

“Nothing,” Sehun answers and feels very guilty. Which doesn’t entirely make sense, because he’s done nothing wrong.

“Why do I get the distinct impression you are lying?” Yixing asks and attempts to peer into the fridge. 

“Because Jongin has been filling your head with lies about me,” Sehun tries to cover and quickly moves in front of the fridge and closing the door. He smiles broadly and very unconvincingly at Yixing. “I was just checking if Luhan had eggs.”

Both of Yixing’s eyebrows are now raised. “Why would you check that?”

Good question. 

“Because protein is an essential part of your diet,” Sehun blurts out and smiles as wide as he can at Yixing to try to distract the other man.

“Sehun, are you using big complicated sentences on my boyfriend again?” Jongin says, pushing his way through the kitchen to press into Yixing’s side as the elder observes Sehun with amused interest. Jongin gives Sehun a slightly puzzled look. “Why are you in the kitchen and not talking to Luhan?”

Sehun’s face immediately colors. “Am I not allowed to be in the kitchen?”

“Well, it kinda ruins our plans to set you two up if you don’t talk to him,” Jongin says shrugging. 

“Our plans?” Yixing repeats and looks at Jongin, his mouth quirking.

“Why are you trying to setting us up?” Sehun feels very awkward and exasperated. He realizes belatedly baking Luhan a cake to give to him at a party where both Jongin and Yixing are present may not have been one of his better life choices. “I don’t like men. How is this practical?”

“Because you’re in denial,” Jongin purrs at him and Sehun scowls.

Yixing is still observing him with his head cocked to the side. “I think Sehun’s up to something,” he tells Jongin, earning him a surprised look. Yixing nods towards the fridge and Sehun shuffles a little more to put himself in front of the home appliance. 

There a brief moment where Jongin and Sehun lock eyes before Jongin is lunging at the fridge and Sehun is trying to keep him from discovering anything that may cause him weeks worth of merciless teasing. Sehun, unfortunately, fails, when Yixing slips past the two grappling boys and opens the fridge.

“Did you make, um, whatever that is?” Yixing asks, staring between Sehun and his cake.

“It’s a cake!” Sehun almost wails in disparity.

“Did you drop it?” Jongin asks, pushing free enough to look at the cake in the fridge before turning back to Sehun and pressing Sehun’s cheeks between his hands. “You made Luhan a cake! You’re adorable Sehun!”

Sehun swats Jongin away viciously. “Go away, you pestilential imp,” he grates out as mortification spreads like alcohol through his veins.

“What are you guys doing?” says a familiar voice and Sehun really doesn't need Chen to suddenly assert his educated self into this situation. He has enough dealing with Jongin and Yixing at the moment. 

“Sehun made Luhan a cake,” Jongin practically gloats at their friend as the smaller man looks to Sehun with a quirk to his mouth. 

“You actually tried to make food that didn’t take five minutes in a microwave?” Chen asks and Sehun frowns at him.

“I’m not that bad of a cook,” Sehun says and drags his bottom lip to trap between his teeth. 

“You burned ramen,” Jongin points out and grins fiendishly.

“That was one time!” Sehun protests loudly, shooting Jongin an exasperated look. “Honestly.”

“I thought you already gave Luhan a welcome basket,” Chen comments and Sehun doesn’t entire like the way the older is observing him. 

“I did,” Sehun admits as Jongin and Yixing exchange a look. “But that doesn’t mean I’m trying to woo him,” Sehun snaps at his two friends. “I brought Joonmyun with me so he can do that.” The last part feels rancid on his tongue and has both Yixing and Jongin snapping to look at him with varying degrees of shock on their faces.

“You what?” Jongin gapes at him.

“Who the Hell is Joonmyun?” Yixing asks and looks perpetually confused.

“The guy who’s been chatting up Luhan since he got here,” Chen comments dryly, opening the fridge and grabbing a cold beer. He closes the fridge and looks towards the three men staring at him. “What, he’s not exactly being subtle about it,” Chen comments, shrugging. He looks at Sehun. “Nice cake, by the way.”

“It looks like shit,” Sehun grumbles and Chen’s mouth quirks.

“It looks like you spent five hours making it,” Chen says with his quirked mouth and eyebrow. “No small effort, and, from you, spending five minutes on something is a feat.” He smiles in his obnoxiously superior way. “I’ll be finding Tao. I’m sure he and Baekhyun have thoroughly depraved the self esteem of everyone around them by now.”

Jongin waits until Chen has disappeared before turning to Sehun. “Did you really spend five hours on that thing?”

Sehun just frowns at him and pushes from the kitchen. As he scans around for the bathroom, he catches sight of Luhan and Joonmyun talking pleasantly in the living room and feels a jealous jerk in his stomach. 

Sehun wanted to talk to Luhan. Sehun wants to be Luhan’s friend. Sehun wants to know how to make Luhan’s face crack into a silly smile.

Sehun is the first person to leave, slipping out of the door despite the curious and slightly concerned look from Chanyeol. He frowns, wincing slightly as he drags a hand through his hair and he realizes a moment too late his hands are still caked with flour from fending off Jongin and Yixing. He trudges back to his apartment, hands shoved ruefully into his jeans pockets and hating his brother more than he really feels comfortable with. 

“You look almost disgustingly happy,” Sehun says, for once not his usual bubbly self as he places Joonmyun’s coffee on the CEO’s desk Monday morning. 

Joonmyun is practically radiant as he turns his smile at Sehun. “Am I?” he asks and laughs like he’s high on every drug known to man. “I didn't notice.”

“Seriously, it’s like someone took your normal smile and injected it with Sesame Street enthusiasm,” Sehun drawls, leaning back into a slight slouch as he looks at Joonmyun. Sehun uses sarcasm and derision.

It fails.

Joonmyun appears completely unaffected. Joonmyun uses Good news! “I got his number,” he says. It’s super effective. Sehun’s life points decrease by twenty. Sehun, because he was the one who helped in this initiative in the first place, plasters a happy congratulatory smile on his face.

“Did you?” Sehun asks and his voice sounds horribly fake to his ears. 

Apparently Joonmyun is painfully oblivious in his euphoria though. “I did,” he bubbles, leaning back in his chair and rocking slightly, smiling at nothing. “We talked for the majority of the time, actually. I didn’t end up leaving until really late and, just, wow, you know how you meet some people that just look too good to be true?” Sehun bites the inside of his cheek as he smiles painfully at Joonmyun. “Luhan is like that, except he’s real. It’s like, I don’t know, how someone can look like he does and possess such an amazing personality and be so interesting and smart and funny and, just-” Joonmyun trails off and shakes his head before looking up at Sehun with that stupid smile still plastered on his face.

Sehun kind of wants a bucket of plaster so he can imprint Joonmyun’s face in it just so he can possibly demonstrate to the elder how ridiculous he looks right now. 

“I really have to thank you, Sehun,” Joonmyun says, beaming affectionately up at the younger as Sehun stubs his toe against the carpet repeatedly. “I mean, you introduced us and then, well, anyway, thanks.”

“Sure,” Sehun grinds out behind clenched teeth. Joonmyun’s normal smiling is tolerable, Sehun is discovering. He also finds that it is slightly disconcerting that he is feeling so negatively about Joonmyun’s delight. Really, he should be happy. Feel happy for Joonmyun for having such success. 

Sehun’s probably just weird. 

“I’m taking him out on Friday,” Joonmyun almost breathes out and stares wistfully out the window, looking drunk in his delight. 

“I have to go give Yesung his coffee,” Sehun says abruptly and turns, walking as swiftly out of the office as he can. If Joonmyun noticed that Sehun wasn’t actually holding any more coffees, he doesn’t say anything. Though to be fair, he did seem a bit more preoccupied with ogling at the windowpanes than Sehun’s coffee deliveries.

Kyungsoo takes one look at Sehun as the younger exits the office before he’s pushing away from his desk and giving Sehun a very knowing look. “You’re off at three today,” he says and it’s not a question.

“Two if I can avoid Chanyeol’s work bombs,” Sehun grumbles as he moodily picks through Kyungsoo’s candy jar. “Can you please murder Joonmyun so he can stop polluting everyone with his fangirling?”

“If I murder Joonmyun, I’d have to take care of Planet Records,” Kyungsoo points out with a raised eyebrow, his mouth quirking slightly. “Though he is being a bit insufferable.” He gives a brief look to Joonmyun’s office. “I swear, I heard him sighing at the coat rack when he walked in.” He studies Sehun for a moment as Sehun fingers a raspberry candy. “Want to get Bubble tea?”

Sehun perks up at the suggestion. “Now?”

Kyungsoo coughs out a laugh. “It’s 9:30 in the morning,” Kyungsoo points out.

“I don’t understand the problem,” Sehun shrugs and grins at the roll of Kyungsoo’s eyes.

“C’mon,” Kyungsoo says and claps a hand around Sehun’s shoulder, leveling concerned and slightly knowing eyes at him. “You look like you need it.”

“It’s a miracle that you’re one of the straight ones in our group,” Sehun says that afternoon as he is seated across from Kyungsoo in a local bubble tea café. Kyungsoo levels an exasperated look at Sehun from across the table as he cradles a milk bubble tea between his hands. 

“You’re one to talk,” Kyungsoo says and Sehun pouts at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sehun pouts at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo doesn’t respond, just gives him a horrible patronizing and pitying look from across the table that has Sehun kicking him under the table as he frowns severely. “Seriously, what?”

“It’s a miracle you’re so smart,” Kyungsoo doesn't really answer him as he takes a dainty sip of his bubble tea. “Because you’re down right dumb most of the time.”

Sehun doesn't really get the answer from Kyungsoo. Just a wide variety of looks and strangely worded comments before he and Kyungsoo lapse into Kyungsoo’s recent woes at Jongin’s vibrantly successful romantic life. 

Sehun doesn’t really know what to do if he runs into Luhan again. He hasn’t really thought of it, mind too occupied with how annoying Joonmyun has been lately and how he’s ready to shove Joonmyun’s stapler down his throat if he mentions his euphoria one more time in Sehun’s presence. 

However, Sehun isn’t really given much choice or time to think of proper interaction before he literally runs into Luhan as he bounds from the bus home, having nodded off and nearly missed his stop. Luhan looks extremely surprised.

Sehun doesn't entirely blame him. He’d probably look quite a few varieties of shock if someone had nearly just rammed into him. 

“You left the party early,” Luhan says and Sehun immediately feels guilt settle into his stomach. Luhan wasn’t really supposed to notice him leaving. Luhan was clearly too wrapped up in Joonmyun to have really paid attention to Sehun. Luhan was- “I never go to really talk to you. Or thank you for the cake.”

Sehun’s feels just a little bit giddy. “I’m sorry,” Sehun says, looking to Luhan’s building and trying to push away the odd sensation. Guilt once more becomes his prominent emotion. “I just got a little tired of Jongin and Yixing trying to cover me in flour and demanding I go get them bananas.” This wasn’t actually a lie. The two had become insufferable once Yixing got the _brilliant_ idea to make bananas foster and Jongin seemed thoroughly set on the idea.

Luhan laughs and Sehun finds himself smiling. “I can imagine that getting old. You’re forgiven.” Definitely smiling. “Thanks for the cake, by the way. I thought you said you couldn’t really make cakes.”

Sehun grimaces slightly, remembering he had, in fact, left the cake in the fridge when Jongin had come at him with a spatula. “I should probably apologize more for the cake than leaving early,” he admits, dragging a hand through his hair. “I hope you weren’t poisoned.”

“No, it was delicious,” Luhan says and Sehun honestly just stares because he’s tasted his own food. Sehun often considers it a minor miracle he’s still alive. Luhan fidgets for a second and makes a small face before Sehun finds himself laughing, Luhan along with him. “Okay,” Luhan finally admits. “It was probably the worst cake I’ve ever had, but I really appreciate the effort. Honestly, like I said, you already gave me a welcome basket. You didn’t have to go and make me a cake.”

Sehun is still trying to get over his laughter. “I still can’t believe you ate it,” he says, shifting his school bag, still laden with books. It’s odd, but it’s not, how talking with Luhan, on the street, or just talking with Luhan in general, is so remarkably comfortable. How, despite the awkward that Sehun often finds himself battling with when he first gets to know someone, talking with Luhan is easy. 

Luhan is just comfortable. Like Sehun already passed the awkward ‘hi, I’m a little shy and maybe lisp’ stage of introduction and moved into the familiarity he shares with Jongin and Baekhyun so easily. 

It should be shocking to Sehun how normal it seems to sit with Luhan in a Japanese restaurant and share a meal of noodles and talk about mindless things when he’s only known Luhan for a few weeks, only really talked to him a few times. It should be shocking, but it isn’t. It’s just comfortable. 

Sehun ponders this the next day at work as he lounges in one of the large office chairs, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling, tossing Joonmyun’s stress ball in the air repeatedly and catching it. 

Maybe he’s so comfortable around Luhan because Luhan is just this perfect person that makes everyone love him.

Maybe he’s amazing and interesting and Sehun knew him in a past life and they’re just destined to be friends.

Or Luhan is some sort of severely advanced species of alien that can just lure you into its death trap by his deceptive comfortable communication before splitting open your skull and-

Okay, probably not that last one. But Sehun cannot deny that his thought processes about this are a bit weird. 

Maybe.

Probably.

“Hey Chanyeol?” Sehun calls over to his boss who is currently lost amid the folds of an oversized hooded sweatshirt. 

“What’s up?” Chanyeol asks, jerking his head in Sehun’s direction to indicate he is listening but not letting his attention stray from the computer screen he’s pouring over. 

“Is there, like, a set period of time before you’re supposed to really feel comfortable with someone?” Sehun asks and throws Joonmyun’s stolen stress ball into the air again, frowning as he catches it.

“Are we talking about people or pets?” Chanyeol asks and Sehun turns to just stare at him.

“People,” Sehun clarifies and feels his mouth quirk. “Sorry, I should have been more clear.”

“No worries,” Chanyeol shrugs and sticks a pencil behind his ear, frowning interestingly at his computer. “I dunno, maybe? Is this like a roommate thing or a friend thing or a marriage into the family thing?”

“Friend thing,” Sehun says and smiles faintly. Somehow, talking with Chanyeol, even if it’s about something completely serious, always manages to make Sehun feel better. Chanyeol just seems to make things that much more tolerable.

“Are you sure?” Chanyeol says and actually looks over at Sehun with raised eyebrows. “You sound like you’re having feelings.”

Sehun suddenly frowns. Okay, maybe talking to Chanyeol isn’t awesome. “I am not having feelings.”

“It’s totally okay to have feelings!” Chanyeol tells Sehun, smiling brightly. “Feelings are awesome! You should embrace them! Unless they’re homicidal.” Chanyeol frowns. “Yeah, those are probably bad. Try not to nurture those.”

“I am not homicidal,” Sehun deadpans at his boss.

“I am,” Yesung grumbles as he walks into the office and drops a large stack of papers onto Sehun’s stomach. “And I will act on those feelings if you don’t get your lazy ass into productivity now.”

“I think you need a hobby,” Chanyeol tells Yesung brightly. “Have you ever thought of scrap booking?”

“There is never a day I don’t question my abstinence from socializing with you outside of work,” Yesung tells Chanyeol before leaving the office.

Chanyeol turns to Sehun. “Embrace your feelings,” he tells the younger boy who looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “If you don’t you may end up like Yesung and never believe in happiness again.”

Sehun shudders and begins to leaf through the documents Yesung has just dropped off. 

Sehun’s problems, or feelings if he goes by Baekhyun’s definitions, only increase as the week wears on. In fact, they practically explode on Sunday when he spots Luhan just a few meters ahead of him holding what appears to be a weeks worth of groceries. Sehun doesn’t entirely keep track of what he’s saying until he’s said it and then he realizes Luhan just agreed to go to bubble tea with him and this ridiculously exaggerated bubble of delight presses against his ribcage he is sure he doesn’t get frequently. 

Luhan gets Taro bubble tea and Sehun can’t stop smiling, feeling his mouth continuously twitch upwards as he and Luhan talk, conversation sliding between them as easy as water and Sehun just feels comfortable. Comfortable and happy and excited and pleasant. He considers briefly that this is unlike any friendship he’s ever had before Luhan’s snapping back his attention.

“What?” Sehun asks, drawing his eyes from where they’d been fixated on Luhan’s left ear.

“I asked what you were up to today,” Luhan repeats and his mouth is tugging at the corner. 

“I was going to visit Baekhyun at RumbleMuffins,” Sehun says and sucks a tapioca ball through his straw. He pauses as he chews. “Do you want to come?” Sehun doesn’t really know why he asks. The last time Luhan had been to RumbleMuffins it was on Jongin’s ‘super secret Tao mission’ and Baekhyun had basically made Sehun’s life a sham. Sehun really doesn’t expect Luhan to say yes. That would just be-

“Sure,” Luhan says, shrugging and leaning over the table slightly. 

Sehun’s eyebrows climb his face with severe haste. “Really?” 

Luhan grins at him. “I really don’t have much else to do today,” he replies, spinning his bubble tea between his hands. “I mean, I could sort socks, but I’m pretty sure no one does that willingly.”

“Well, no one normal,” Sehun says, his mind flashing to Kyungsoo. 

Luhan’s eyebrows raise but he says nothing, just shoots Sehun a sidelong look that has Sehun’s nose crinkling. He doesn’t entirely know if that look is patronizing or appreciative. Either way, it makes his fingers itch. 

Sehun forgets that Baekhyun has been basically his go-to and his horrifically harsh reality gauge until Baekhyun freezes by his coffee mugs. His eyes flash to Sehun as the taller shuffles into the café and throws Baekhyun a look that says _‘please don’t do whatever it is that I can see running through that brain of yours.’_ Sehun knows it’s probably useless but it’s worth a shot. 

Luhan is apparently oblivious. “I hope you are well,” he says and it’s so polite Sehun has to school his face. 

“Perfect as peaches,” Baekhyun says and Sehun notices the underlying sarcasm in his tone as Luhan sinks into one of the chairs. He throws Baekhyun a look but Baekhyun ignores it, instead cocking his head and asking, “Fort?”

It takes Sehun a moment before his brain, usually in top working condition, revs into proper processing speed. He turns to Luhan who is looking up at him curiously. “Do you want to make a fort?” 

“A fort?” Luhan repeats and his eyebrows crease slightly. Sehun is about to open his mouth, cough out a horrible sounding laugh, drag a hand through his hair, and say ‘I know, ridiculous idea, I’m sorry I even say words’ when Luhan shrugs and says “Sure, why not?”

Eyebrows must never need consent for their instant reactions. Sehun’s sure don’t as they climb his forehead and he turns to Baekhyun, feeling slightly numb. “I guess we’re making a fort,” he says and the words feel like cotton on his mouth. 

Sehun has only made one fort in Baekhyun’s café. And that was because Jongin insisted and Sehun just wanted blankets. He considers himself too esteemed to be found in forts. Baekhyun often tells him that this thought process just proves that he is, in fact, still in the mid throws of adolescent stupidity. 

Baekhyun, right now, looks positively malevolent in his happiness. “I guess you are!” he chirps and Sehun doesn’t even want to imagine the shit he’s going to get over the phone later. Baekhyun gloating is never pleasant. Unless, of course, Sehun is also gloating with him. “So, Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte, as per usual, Bambi?”

Luhan apparently doesn't like being called Bambi. Sehun ponders why as he watches Luhan, with a surprising amount of enthusiasm, poke and pull at a number of blankets and pillows by the supply stack. 

“Is there a limit to how many we can take?” Luhan asks, finally turning to Sehun and his eyes are shining in the light of the café. He looks almost like a child, nothing like the professional man he appeared to be the last time he was here. Well, man-forest creature hybrid. He still kind of looks like a forest creature. 

The shift in attitude throws Sehun a little off balance. “Not really, especially since we’re the only ones here,” he says and shakes himself slightly. Luhan looks so goddamn excited and it must be contagious because Sehun feels a soft thrill shoot through his arms and up his spine. “C’mon,” he says, feeling a smile spread over his face as he straightens up. “We’re getting the best spot.”

“There’s a best one?” Luhan perks and looks so thrilled Sehun can’t help but smile. Sehun doesn’t answer, just smiles widely and leads Luhan towards the middle of the café, where he knows from all the days of sitting and hanging out with Baekhyun as the other man works, is the most opportune location. Luhan follows him, bouncing slightly as he steps and Sehun’s chest feels warm. 

Sehun may not be an artist, but he does know structure and logic. And these things tend to come in handy. Luhan starts building their fort entirely wrong and has Sehun snorting as he ends up tangled in a sheet, frowning in confusion. 

“Shut up, the last fort I made was when I was seven,” Luhan grumbles as he tries to free himself from the sheet and fails. Sehun continues to laugh as he helps Luhan, the ending result being a free Luhan with hair that is standing everywhere. Luhan grins at him. “Do you make forts often?”

“He never makes forts,” Baekhyun says as he drops off the coffees. “He just likes to watch other people and judge structural integrity.”

“It’s a miracle most of them don’t fall down,” Sehun says as he throws a sheet over one of the ceiling wires, draping the fabric to cascade down and form a respectably large tent space. “Honestly, it’s like most of the forts people made as children were just sheets over tables.”

Luhan’s mouth presses together. “Those were most of my forts,” he admits and Sehun bites his lip. “Do you judge my structural integrity?”

“No,” Sehun says quickly as Baekhyun ambles back to his café bar. “I’m sure you can make a great fort once you learn. I’ll teach you.”

Luhan is smirking at him as he tosses a blanket over Sehun’s sheet, clearly catching on quickly as he pulls it around to create a sort of blanket cave. “I thought you said you never build forts, only judge them.”

“Study of theory and observation can eventually lead to mastering of the subject,” Sehun says absently as he adds a blanket to a lower strung wire to give the fort a two level effect. 

“But practice makes perfect and repeated execution can only lead to a higher success rate,” Luhan replies and Sehun stops and just stares at him. Luhan blinks at him. “What?”

“Nothing,” Sehun says and licks his lips. “It’s just most people don’t really understand me when I-“ He frowns. 

“When you speak like a science experiment?” Luhan suggests and laughs slightly. “Your social life must be rather tiring.”

“Sometimes,” Sehun admits and smiles faintly to himself. “Though I think you may have it worse. You work with models.”

“And Kris,” Luhan adds and shoots Sehun a look. 

"Who looks terrifying,” Sehun adds, nodding as he bends down and tries to arrange pillows, improving the structure and walls of the forts interior. 

“Heechul used to call him Meduso,” Luhan muses as he adds more blankets. 

“Meduso?” Sehun asks, flopping to the ground and looking up at Luhan, frowning slightly. 

“Masculine form of Medusa,” Luhan explains as he manages to tangle himself in a blanket again. He frowns as he tries to move his arms and fails. “Because there was a period when people contemplated if his stare could actually turn people to stone.”

“I bet Kris appreciated that,” Sehun says and smiles at the mental image he can conjure from the brief period he had met Kris. 

“He didn’t,” Luhan informs him and laughs, flopping down on the ground with Sehun and smiling brilliantly. “Okay, outside done. Now what?”

Sehun doesn’t reply, just grins as he snatches a pillow and lightly hits Luhan in the face with it. Luhan, clearly unprepared, lets out a startled yelp before losing his balance and falling backwards. He seems frozen in place for a second, staring as Sehun laughs himself silly, before he’s snatching up his own pillow and thwacking at Sehun aggressively, huge smile plastered on his face and Sehun’s chest aches from laughing. 

They ruin the first fort and lie panting amid pillows and blankets before grinning and starting over. Their second attempt ends up far superior to the first fort and Sehun looks it over in satisfaction before looking in at Luhan. Luhan is seated inside the fort like a prince among the blankets and smiling delightedly. Sehun laughs at the image and bends forward, fully intent on clambering into the fort himself when he is pushed back by a firm foot in his chest. He looks up, raising his eyebrows at Luhan’s pouting face. 

“Password,” Luhan demands and his face pouts further, foot still planted firmly in Sehun’s chest. 

Sehun blinks. “Open sesame?” Sehun tries the first thing that pops into his head. He can’t help it if it’s beyond cheesy. 

Luhan snorts though and the foot is gone from Sehun’s chest. “Good enough,” Luhan concedes and Sehun just laughs, scooting forward and collapsing into the fort. He sighs before looking to Luhan, craning his neck slightly as he is basically lounging beside Luhan as the older sits. Luhan looks down at him, a faint smile playing about his lips.

Sehun raises an eyebrow. “Really? Open Sesame worked?” 

Luhan’s smile widens as he leans back on his hands, the contrast of light between the darkness of the fort interior and the café lighting playing across his face, throwing it into sharp lines and angles. “I’m a simple guy.”

“Simplicity is good,” Sehun says, folding his legs to cross and slouching slightly. “People always say that it’s the simple things in life that make it worth it.”

“Like a sunrise,” Luhan muses and Sehun tilts his head to look at the other. 

“Or a smile,” Sehun adds and Luhan flashes one, bright and warm in his direction. Sehun’s mouth returns the expression and he feels light. 

Twenty minutes later, Baekhyun stares after the door closes, seeming to be in trying to process Luhan’s sudden departure. He turns slowly to look at Sehun, who is currently sitting half out of his and Luhan’s fort and feeling far too unhappy for someone surrounded by blankets. 

“What do you think Kris did?” Sehun asks, trying to distract Baekhyun and deflect that wrinkled brow from getting to the point Sehun knows Baekhyun is directing towards him. 

“Since when did Suho and Luhan hang out?” Baekhyun asks, completely ignoring Sehun’s comment as he looks at the younger steadily. 

Sehun shrugs and picks at the hem of his left pant leg. “I dunno,” he grumbles out, which is entirely false. He can remember exactly when because Suho had been insufferable the whole week after. 

Baekhyun presses his lips together as he looks at the younger. “Are they dating?” he asks finally and Sehun scowls at the floor. 

“I don’t know,” Sehun snaps out and feels a rushing burn up his chest he doesn’t entirely understand. He shouldn’t be feeling angry. “Joonmyun seems to think so.” The words aren’t meant to sound so vicious. 

“Since when-“ Baekhyun cuts himself off, frowning at Sehun. “I thought-“

“What?” Sehun snaps, jerking his head up to glare at Baekhyun. “You thought that your teasing was true? That I have been lying to you and Jongin and Kyungsoo and my _brother_ for years and am actually super gay and now have severe lust towards my new neighbor? Fuck off, Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun stares, eyes steady and calculated at Sehun as his lips press into a line. “Sehun-“

“No,” Sehun cuts him off. “I’m sick of the teasing. It’s okay once and a while, but it’s not funny anymore. I _don’t have feelings towards Luhan_. He is my neighbor. We hang out because we get along really well and he also likes Bubble tea and he’s funny and doesn’t judge and he’s probably dating Joonmyun probably because I _introduced them._ ”

Baekhyun is now frowning at Sehun. “Why did you introduce them?” he asks. The door opens and a few people come in but Baekhyun doesn’t even flinch, instead keeping his eyes on Sehun as his hands remain folded in his lap. 

“Because I think they’re good for each other,” Sehun grinds out and the words burn on his tongue. He hates lying. 

Baekhyun snorts. “You suck at lying,” he points out and Sehun glowers at him. “Look, I’m sorry for teasing you but-“ he sighs, cutting himself off. “Look, you can choose to believe me or not, but I’m am here to support you. Even if I do go about it in a slightly, um-“

“Sadistic way,” Sehun supplies half-heartedly and Baekhyun nods gently at him.

“That’s one way of putting it, sure,” Baekhyun admits and then is scooting from the chair to crawl into the fort with him, wrapping an arm around Sehun and pressing his thin fingers reassuringly into Sehun’s arm. 

“Don’t you have customers?” Sehun asks him, raising an eyebrow. 

“They can wait for a moment,” Baekhyun says, mouth quirking. “I can’t leave you to brood in a fort all by yourself can I?”

“I’m not brooding,” Sehun protests grumpily and Baekhyun flashes him an amused smile. 

“You know the reason I tease you?” Baekhyun asks, drawing back and leaning to the side so he faces Sehun. 

“Because you love to see me miserable?” Sehun drawls and rolls his eyes at his friend.

“Because I think maybe one day it’ll help you open your eyes,” Baekhyun says and Sehun frowns. Because he doesn’t really get where Baekhyun is going with that statement. 

“My eyes are open,” Sehun says flatly and nudges Baekhyun with his knee. 

“Are they?” Baekhyun questions as an eyebrow raises. 

The way he asks makes Sehun wonder himself. He ponders this at the back of his mind for the rest of the week as he tries to tune out Joonmyun’s happiness and Chanyeol’s volume and Jongin’s pestering. 

“What happened to you?” Yesung asks, stopping by his desk and looking down at the stack of papers efficiently copied that Sehun has just finished. 

“What are you talking about?” Sehun asks, frowning. 

“You’re not being annoying,” Yesung says and doesn’t smile. 

“Would you like me to be?” Sehun asks, raising an eyebrow. Yesung frowns at him before walking away and Sehun just sighs, running a hand through his hair. A moment later, Chen is wandering up to him, looking curious. 

“Hey you,” Chen says, resting an arm on top of the monitor. “Are you sure you don’t want to go out with us tonight?” 

Sehun sighs. “Yes, I’m sure,” Sehun repeats for what he feels like is the thousandth time. “I don’t need to go to _EPIK HIGH_ with you and Jongin and the model mob.”

“Really? Because you look like you need a night out,” Chen says, eyebrows raised. “Honestly, you’re supposed to be the young fun one who makes consistently bad decisions.”

“Let Jongin do that,” Sehun says, smirking. “I have a few weeks before I have to turn in my thesis.”

“You’re boring,” Chen tells him and Sehun snorts. 

“I’m awesome,” Sehun counters and Chen rolls his eyes. 

“If you change your mind, let me know,” Chen says before finally drawing away. 

Sehun doesn’t change his mind. And really, the persuasion isn’t really that great to be honest. 

_“Stop being boring!"_ Jongin is yelling over the phone at 10:26 at night, making Sehun frown as he chews another bite of pizza, the box open on the dining room table, surrounded by notes and drafts of academic writing. _"We need you here!"_

“Jongin, I’m not coming out tonight,” Sehun sighs into his mobile phone, frowning as he finds another lack of resources to credit. “It’s late and I already planned this weekend to work on my thesis.”

 _"You sound far too responsible,"_ Jongin hollers over the club music pounding behind him and making static through the phone. _"What happened to my partner in crime?"_

“Go bother your boyfriend for entertainment,” Sehun mumbles and frowns as the bite of pizza he’s just taken leaves cheese stringing from his lips. 

_"What's Yixing got to do with you needing to get out?"_ Jongin asks and Sehun rolls his eyes. 

“Have a good night, Jongin,” Sehun tells his friend and hangs up in the middle of Jongin’s protesting voice. Sehun drags a hand through his hair and stares down at the draft in front of him. It feels like he’s made no progress and he has four more chapters to edit before the end of the weekend. Maybe he should take a break. He sits back heavily, munching on a slice of pizza and frowning at his table. 

A second later, his cell phone rings and he snatches it, half prepared to snap at Jongin to go away when he freezes, eyes on the name flashing on the screen. He swipes the answer bar quickly, licking his lips before pressing the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Are you busy?” Luhan asks without preamble and Sehun’s eyes widen slightly, looking down at the mess of undergraduate work and his half demolished pizza. 

“Um,” Sehun says dumbly, eyeing the hours of work in front of him. “I’m finishing up a pizza. Why?” Graduating can totally wait. 

“Do you want to come over and watch movies or something?” Luhan asks and Sehun eyebrows shoot up his face. He pushes the chapters of his thesis together and tries to move the pizza box off of his Chemical Engineering text. 

Movies. With Luhan. On a Friday night. He pauses as he shifts the pizza. 

EXO M is currently out partying at _EPIK HIGH_ and Luhan had mentioned he had plans earlier this week. Sehun had assumed they were related, and yet Luhan is home, and – 

“What do you want me to bring over?” Sehun asks without thinking and walks away from his work. He should probably put on pants. 

“If you have any favorite movies, that might be good. I have popcorn,” Luhan tells him and his voice sounds lighter, expectant. 

Sehun pauses by his video shelf, grabbing a few of the classics he always puts on when bored. “Do you have cola?” he asks, tossing the DVD’s onto his bed as he squishes the phone between his ear and shoulder, dragging his jeans up as best he can when half hunched over. 

“I’m depressingly out of cola,” Luhan admits and his voice laughs. 

“I’ll bring some then,” Sehun says brightly, feeling himself smile as he glances towards the door of his bedroom. He has some extra colas in his fridge. “Buzz you in ten!”

Sehun doesn’t rush over to Luhan’s. He just has really long fast strides. Luhan beams at him as soon as the door is open. Sehun beams back and bounds into Luhan’s apartment, now relatively familiar and the two bicker over movies for a moment before Sehun busies himself with popcorn and let’s Luhan choose and set up the entertainment. He has barely set the popcorn on the coffee table when Luhan has bounded onto the couch, knocking into Sehun roughly, and is scrabbling at the remote. 

“I never knew you liked _Gone With The Wind_ so much,” Sehun says, raising his eyebrows as Luhan pouts in concentration at the television. 

“Shut up,” Luhan retorts, nudging him in the side. “I can’t hear the glaring racism.”

Sehun snorts and bounces a piece of popcorn against Luhan’s head. Luhan grins and pelts a few kernels at Sehun, laughing as Sehun squirms away. Sehun doesn’t admit to the exhaustion in his bones as Luhan shoves _The Odd Couple_ into the DVD player and slams himself back onto the couch, barely missing Sehun’s face. Instead, he just keeps blinking and jerking his head up and back awake. It’s nice, sitting here on the couch, lounging with Luhan a touch away as the movie’s sound settles over them. 

It’s so nice and so comfortable and Sehun looks over at Luhan’s profile, rapt with attention at the screen and hair messed up from when Sehun had wrestled him into pillows when he had imitated Scarlet’s frantic panic as she dug for potatoes. 

Sehun smiles, his eyes feeling heavy as warmth spreads through his chest and limbs. 

The sounds of Felix and Oscar arguing wash over Sehun and his eyes drop on their own. Faintly, he feels a soft press of fingers in his hair before letting himself slip into softness. 

Sehun wakes up first. He tries to clear his mind, figure out why he’s on a couch and tangled with more limbs than he owns, before Luhan’s groan has his eyes widening and the other man is grabbing him firmly to his side. When Sehun looks up timidly a moment later, Luhan’s mouth is quirked in a smile as his breaths even deeply and Sehun’s chest aches. 

“Is it supposed to do that?” Sehun asks, swallowing heavily as he looks at Kyungsoo’s slight frown and Baekhyun, who currently has his head resting in his hands. Kyungsoo lets out a soft sigh and Sehun suddenly recognizes that look. “No,” he says, eyes widening as he frowns. “No, no, no, no, stop. It can’t be-“

“Sehun,” Kyungsoo says, cutting him off and Sehun bites his lip. 

“No!” Sehun says again and glares at Baekhyun. “I blame you,” he bites out and Baekhyun groans, dragging a hand down his face.

“Don’t blame me for noticing things significantly before anyone else,” Baekhyun bites out. “I can’t help it that I’m painfully aware and observant. I should be blaming you for dragging me out of bed.”

“It’s a Saturday,” Kyungsoo points out, raising his eyebrow. “You’re always working on Saturday. At like six AM. How are we dragging you out of bed?”

“I took today off for interviews!” Baekhyun snaps, and the bags under his eyes are much more pronounced this morning. 

“You’re hiring help?” Sehun asks, momentarily distracted from his minor melt down. 

“I’m getting old,” Baekhyun deadpans at Sehun and Sehun snorts.

“Not as old as Joonmyun,” Sehun says and Baekhyun scowls as Kyungsoo sighs. “What, you’re not!”

“I repeat,” Baekhyun grumbles. “That man could afford to lie down in a fort.” 

Kyungsoo gives Baekhyun a briefly intense look before turning to Sehun and sitting up a little more. “So, your chest aches?”

“It’s not normal. It shouldn’t,” Sehun says and feels slightly lost. “Maybe I have a disease.”

“There’s nothing wrong with what you are feeling,” Kyungsoo says and shifts. “For you to find yourself attracted to-“

“I’m straight!” Sehun says frantically and scowls. 

“Why are you fighting this so much?” Baekhyun demands loudly, dropping his hands from his face exaggeratedly. “What’s so wrong with being bisexual?”

“Nothing!” Sehun snaps back. “There’s nothing wrong with being gay or bi or whatever, it’s just- I’m just-“ he stops himself and sighs, dropping his head onto his arms and scowling into the table. “I don’t get it.”

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun exchange a long look before Kyungsoo reaches out a hand to rest gently on top of Sehun’s head. “You know, Jongin wasn’t always gay.”

“How is that possible?” Sehun grunts out, smushing his nose into his arms. “He was born gay.”

“I mean, he didn’t realize it until he was in high school,” Kyungsoo clarifies and Sehun rolls his head to the side to frown at Kyungsoo through his bangs. Kyungsoo sighs. 

“Chanyeol only just realized he likes men,” Baekhyun points out and nudges Sehun with his foot under the table. 

“That’s different,” Sehun grunts out. 

“How is that different?” Baekhyun asks, rolling his eyes. 

“Because Chanyeol is Chanyeol and I am not Chanyeol!” Sehun snaps. 

“That was a lot of Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo says, eyebrows raised slightly.

“If you were Chanyeol, you’d be lying on the floor, covered in dirty tee shirts and periodically hitting yourself in the chest with a fist to try to control your raging emotions,” Baekhyun says heavily. “Actually, he may be doing that now, thanks to Jongin.”

“I tried,” Kyungsoo says, shooting an apologetic look at Baekhyun. 

“You’re a good mom, Jongin’s just a nightmare,” Baekhyun tells him and Sehun snorts. 

“Why am I always the mom?” Kyungsoo mumbles.

“Seriously?” Sehun shoots at the petit man.

“You have feelings. Shut up and let us help you, you brat,” Baekhyun finally snaps and pokes Sehun once more with his foot. “Then I can go and interview with some kid who wants to make coffee.”

“I don’t have feelings!” Sehun grumbles. “I have problems.”

“Fine,” Baekhyun sighs. “Sehun, you have problems in the form of you’re falling for your neighbor in non-platonic ways and you can’t figure out how to process that.”

“Is Sehun broken?” a voice says from the door way and Sehun glances over to see Jongin shuffling in, looking completely bed tousled. 

“No,” Sehun scoffs out. “Sehun is not broken.”

Jongin blinks sleepy eyes at Kyungsoo. “Who broke Sehun?”

“Suho and Luhan broke him,” Baekhyun replies and Sehun kicks him under the table, glowering from where he’s nestled in his arms. 

“They did not-“

Jongin shrugs. “Kill Suho and move in with Luhan,” he says as he flops down next to Sehun. “Do you think Suho would still smile if you killed him? Maybe he’d apologize for dying.”

Kyungsoo sighs and looks at Baekhyun. Baekhyun shrugs. “You tried.”

“You’re unhelpful all the time,” Sehun grinds out at Jongin as his friend leans on top of him and nestles down, clearly intent on napping on him. 

“I’m awesome,” Jongin mumbles into Sehun’s shoulders. 

“You told Chanyeol Kris was leaving him for the CEO of 2NE1.” Baekhyun glares at Jongin. 

“I didn’t think he’d believe me!” Jongin protests into Sehun’s tee shirt. 

“You perpetuated it! Repeatedly!” Baekhyun snaps and whacks him with a placemat. 

“It was funny!” Jongin sputters as he curls into Sehun, trying to avoid Baekhyun’s angered attacks. 

“There is nothing funny about unshowered Chanyeol,” Baekhyun spits out and Jongin snorts. 

“How’s Bambi?” Jongin asks into Sehun’s neck and Sehun shoves him off with a scowl. 

Sehun is leaving his last class, having turned in a half assed assignment with an ashamed smile to the professor, when his phone rings. He drags out the device with a frown before he sees the number. Then he just gapes and Zelo raises a blue eyebrow at him. 

Really, he shouldn’t have this reaction every time he sees Luhan’s number. Especially since he and Luhan chat almost daily now about absolutely nothing. Still, the bubble of excitement he gets every time that name flashes on his phone always sends a jolt through his mind. “Hello?”

Sehun doesn’t think as he directs himself home. Doesn’t really pay attention to how long and fast his strides are, or how anticipation seems to tickle over his skin as he keeps checking his watch. Doesn’t notice the smile that has settled over his face until Luhan’s eyes meet his and his heart skips hard. 

Sehun ignores it. Sehun ignores it all because he wants to. Has to, really. Because if he focuses on these things, on how Luhan makes his chest hurt and his skin prickle, he’ll question more and he doesn’t have the answers yet. So he talks, and is happy, and comfortable, and just enjoys. 

“So, you’ve only been out of school for six years?” Sehun asks as he looks at Luhan’s face, so deceptively young. He honestly hadn’t ever thought much on how old Luhan is. That was always forgotten in comparison to Luhan pelting him with popcorn and laughing foolishly. “So you’re, what, twenty seven?”

Twenty seven. Five years. Five years is more than he is older than the freshman at the school he just left today.

“Twenty eight,” Luhan answers and Sehun’s throat goes dry as Luhan’s eyes shift into shadow.

Six years. Sehun feels distinctly young.

“Wow, I thought you were much younger than that,” Sehun says and forces out a laugh, leaning back in his chair. “And here I was thinking you were only a year or two older than me. Now I’m finding out you’re six years my senior.” Six years. “Sorry, I should be using more formal speech in that case.” _Six years._

Luhan smiles and it’s slightly tight around his mouth. “Nah,” Luhan says and his eyes crinkle as a laugh dies in his mouth. “You’re just like my little brother is all.” He reaches forward and ruffles Sehun’s hair as Sehun stares at him and feels slightly numb. “My funny and cute little brother.”

Sehun swallows and it’s difficult. “Am I supposed to call you hyung?” he asks and the words stick painfully. 

Luhan’s strained laugh, which Sehun has never really heard before, cracks out and sets Sehun’s bones on edge. “Luhan is fine. Why bother changing now? It’s already habit, right?”

“He’s six years older than me,” Sehun says painfully into his phone as he stares at the microwave. He’s testing if he can screw up macaroni and cheese. So far today nothing seems to want to let him eat it. He’s already ruined three potpies and a green bean casserole.

“Yeah, and?” Baekhyun says from the other end and Sehun shifts. 

“He’s six years older than me and he thinks of me like his little brother,” Sehun says and there’s silence on the other line. “Baekhyun, that makes sense right? I’m just his little brother, right? That’s what this is.”

“Sehun-“

“It shouldn’t bother me that he’s six years older. _Hyung_ is four years older and Joonmyun is five, so-“ Sehun is rambling, eyes never leaving the macaroni and cheese as it revolves slowly in the microwave. “Wow, Joonmyun is younger than Luhan.”

“Sehun-“

“It’s ridiculous, right? Why would I be upset about this? It doesn’t make sense. I’m just being stupid. Baekhyun, this is like when you and Chanyeol were roommates right? When you two were almost inseparable and more comfortable and annoying to be around than anyone. And you did everything together. It’s like that, right?”

“Sehun, Chanyeol and I are not -“

“So, it’s clearly just because I’m so close with him! I know this! This is finding that friend that I never knew I truly needed or wanted and never had. This is like that, right?” Sehun isn’t frantic. Sehun just talks a lot. 

“Sehun, you’re panicking at me,” Baekhyun says slowly.

“I am not panicking, I am talking,” Sehun snaps and glares at his macaroni. The cheese is bubbling. “Is it a crime to talk?”

“No, but I wish you would listen every now and then,” Baekhyun sighs. 

“Nothing you say is useful,” Sehun throws out.

“Then why do you always talk to me?” Baekhyun asks dryly. 

Sehun bites his lip and rocks slightly on his heels. “Baekhyun, I don't understand.”

“Open your eyes,” Baekhyun sighs. “Open your eyes and take a look at yourself. You’re the one with the amazing observational skills. Use them.”

“I don’t want to,” Sehun says quietly before swearing loudly as his macaroni and cheese explodes in the microwave. 

“I told you to poke holes in the top of the plastic!” Baekhyun hollers through the phone as Sehun frantically mashes buttons on his microwave. 

Sehun doesn’t see Luhan for a week. It’s weird because he’s become so used to the other by now, having Luhan suddenly disappear leaves him feeling significantly empty. And his chest continues to ache. 

But Luhan hasn’t called him and when Sehun calls, Luhan doesn’t pick up. Instead, he sends a few Kakao messages saying he’s busy accompanied by sad and frustrated emoticons. Sehun frowns at each Kakao he gets after another failed phone call. 

Sehun avoids Joonmyun for the week as well, because he doesn’t want to hear about anything that may cause his _obvious_ younger brother jealousy to fire up. Sehun finds it slightly ironic that Joonmyun has now stolen both of his older brothers, one literal and the other figurative. Therefore, it is understandable that Sehun is surprised when Joonmyun is standing outside of Sehun’s apartment with a lost and worried expression on Thursday.

Sehun realizes Joonmyun is finally not smiling. 

“Hey,” Sehun says and Joonmyun’s mouth twitches. 

“Can I come in?” Joonmyun asks and Sehun’s eyebrows furrow. Joonmyun looks very different now he’s not smiling. And it’s a little eerie and a little painful. 

“Why?” Sehun asks and feels slightly guilty. But honestly he doesn’t want to see Joonmyun right now, not when he’s been silently resenting the older for reasons he doesn’t really understand. It’s just a natural turn of the gut. Perpetual emotional food poisoning.

Joonmyun blinks. “I can’t visit you anymore?”

“You never visit me,” Sehun says flatly and cocks an eyebrow.

“That’s not true,” Joonmyun actually frowns and Sehun eyes widen. 

“Oh my God, you’re frowning,” Sehun blurts out and Joonmyun looks vaguely startled before sighing.

“Look, can I please come in?” Joonmyun asks and looks so tired Sehun steps aside almost instantly and lets Joonmyun brush past him into the apartment. Joonmyun doesn’t take much time in Sehun’s apartment before dropping onto the couch heavily with a sigh.

Sehun fidgets watching the elder as he runs a hand over his face and sighs heavily before he walks jerkily to the arm chair opposite the sofa and plops down, staring at his long time pseudo brother. “So, why are you here?”

Joonmyun shoots him a look that is weird without the upturn of his lips. “Am I not allowed to visit you?” Joonmyun asks and Sehun wets his lips as he frowns. 

“You never visit me,” Sehun says and Joonmyun scoffs. 

“Do you remember when your brother went away with your parents that weekend so they could meet Tiffany and I stayed with you so you wouldn't feel lonely?” Joonmyun raises his eyebrows as Sehun juts out his lower lip and doesn’t answer. “Or that time when you called me in a panic because you couldn’t figure out the washing machine?” Sehun swallows and looks away. “Or all those other times I-“

“Okay, okay, okay!” Sehun snaps and cuts Joonmyun off, rubbing a hand through his hair and frowning at his lap. “I get it, you sometimes come to see me and not just _Hyung._ ”

Joonmyun sighs and lets his head fall back against the couch. “You always make it seem like I’m friends with you out of necessity,” he says slowly and Sehun swallows, looking up. Joonmyun is looking at the ceiling with a definite crease in his forehead. He looks tired beyond reason and, considering his normal degree of tired, that says a lot.

“So, what’s up then?” Sehun asks finally, slouching back into his chair and spaying his legs out in every direction. Joonmyun looks over at him. Sehun scoffs. “The last time you weren’t smiling was when you fought with your parents over your sexuality. And that was like six years ago.”

“Seven,” Joonmyun corrects softly before looking back at the ceiling. “It’s complicated.”

“So you came over here to be complicated on my couch?” Sehun asks, raising an eyebrow. “That doesn’t seem productive.”

“I didn't come over here to be complicated,” Joonmyun sighs, closing his eyes. “I just, well, your brother is with Tiffany, and that’s just obnoxious to be around at the best of times, and Chanyeol is with Kris and Baekhyun is always busy with his café-“

“You never hang out with Baekhyun,” Sehun interrupts and Joonmyun cracks open his eyes to shoot Sehun a look. 

“He’s always busy. I don’t want to bother him,” Joonmyun says simply and frowns. 

“I always hang out with him,” Sehun shrugs. 

“You bother him at work,” Joonmyun corrects and his mouth quirks. “He runs a café by himself. When does he have time to hang out?”

“Bother at work, hang out, same thing,” Sehun says, and folds his arms over his chest defiantly. 

Joonmyun’s mouth twitches again. “We must hang out a lot then,” he comments.

Sehun frowns as Joonmyun’s mouth tries to pull upward. It looks strained. “Why are you on my couch being complicated?” He demands. “The sooner you tell me the sooner I can try to make dinner and maybe not burn it.”

“What are you making?” Joonmyun asks and Sehun glares at him. Joonmyun sighs and pushes his bangs off of his face. “Luhan is being weird.”

Sehun feels the sense of comfort and ease that had been building as he and Joonmyun chatted vanish almost immediately. It is replaced by a writhing of annoyance at Joonmyun that is complete invalidated. “I thought you two were perfect as rainbows,” he grinds out.

Joonmyun sighs again and pushes his hair back further. “We've never been perfect as rainbows,” Joonmyun says and his voice is tired. “At least, I don’t know. It started out fine and he’s an amazing person and I really like him.” Sehun bites his tongue to keep himself from snapping out a ruthless remark. “And I thought things were fine, that he was-“ Joonmyun presses his lips together and frowns, hard, at the ceiling. 

It’s a very different expression from what Sehun has become so accustomed to over the years. 

“Now he’s been acting strangely,” Joonmyun says, abandoning what he had previously been going to say and Sehun doesn’t comment. He sighs and looks over at Sehun, hand dropping from his face. “I don’t know what to do.”

Sehun bites his lip. 

Joonmyun is like his second brother. The one who has always been there, helped him, and somehow been just as much of a support for him as his own brother, and sometimes even more so. And he is here now, looking to Sehun with a forlorn expression and Sehun’s instinct is to help, to say something while the fire in his chest wants to jeer and say _‘well, isn’t that too bad.’_

This must be conflict. 

“Why are things bad?” Sehun asks instead and tries to calm the writhing of his stomach. “Aren’t you, like, the perfect boyfriend or something?”

Joonmyun smiles weakly and it looks dead on his face. “No one is perfect,” he tells Sehun and sits up, resting his arms on his knees and folding his hands together. “I’ve been doing everything I can. I’m not Prince Charming-“

“Yeah, well, Prince Charming is tall,” Sehun says before he can stop himself and Joonmyun shoots him a pointed look. 

“But I haven’t exactly been a bad boyfriend,” Joonmyun finishes, ignoring the stab at his height. “And Luhan seemed to be feeling the same. It was comfortable and fine and then it just wasn’t.” He sighs. “He stopped answering my calls and acted really on edge the last time I saw him, like being around me was painful.”

Sehun knows a little about relationships. Though he’s not a professional himself, he does know vaguely how they’re supposed to work. And Joonmyun’s description doesn’t sound healthy. “That’s unfortunate?” Sehun tries and hopes maybe he’s saying the right thing. Having a frowning Joonmyun is slightly disconcerting. 

“I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” Joonmyun sighs. 

“Maybe you're not trying hard enough,” Sehun suggests and bites his lip immediately after. That’s probably not the beginning to great advice. But then…

Joonmyun raises his eyebrows. “Not enough?” he repeats.

“Yeah, well,” Sehun tries to shrug nonchalantly. “Luhan likes comfort and attention.” This isn’t entirely false. Luhan does light up when you give him attention, but- “He doesn't like being ignored or forgotten. So, you should probably just do more, be there more. Don’t ignore him. Ever.”

Sehun bites his lip harshly, trying to push down the burn at how he knows what he’s just told Joonmyun is completely wrong. Luhan does indeed like attention, but forcing it on him like he has essentially just recommended to Joonmyun is the last thing that will flatter Luhan. Sehun sees Luhan almost every day. It’s not hard to pick up on that. Luhan likes to subtly remind you that he’s there when you space off. Whether it’s poking you gently in the side or calling you at three in the morning to remind you that you have plans the next day to feed ducks in the park, Luhan ensures you know he’s there. 

Sehun knows without question that the way to get Luhan back to you is to ignore him completely. 

Joonmyun raises his eyebrows. “Seriously?” He sounds highly skeptical. 

“What? I see him every day,” Sehun snaps, and shuffles further into his armchair. “I think I know what I’m talking about.”

“Yeah, but-“ Joonmyun’s eyebrows twitch together slightly. “I mean, I’ve been dating him for a bit and it just-“

“So you know him better than I do?” Sehun snaps out and bites his lip, feeling that painful ache in his chest again. “Because you’re dating and awesome and clearly know Luhan better than I could ever know him.”

Joonmyun’s eyes widen. “I never said-“

“You don’t have to take my advice,” Sehun cuts him off and pushes himself from the armchair with a huff. “Besides, I clearly don’t know what I’m talking about.”

Sehun makes to walk to the kitchen and is half way across the living room when Joonmyun says “Are you jealous or something?” and Sehun’s entire abdomen rolls over on itself. 

“No,” Sehun snaps venomously, which probably isn’t very convincing, and stomps the rest of the way to the kitchen. He figures he can’t mess up canned soup.

-


	5. Luhan 3

Luhan 3

“So let me get this straight,” Yixing’s voice says from over the phone, muffled slightly around a mouthful of potato chips. “You’re going to break up with the perfect guy because he’s perfect?”

Luhan scowls at his feet as he walks, steps agitated against the sidewalk and shoes having definitely seen better days. “I’m not breaking up with Joonmyun because he’s perfect. I’m-“

“So you’re not breaking up with him because he’s perfect?” Yixing interrupts him and Luhan sighs. 

“Joonmyun isn’t perfect,” Luhan says heavily and runs a hand through his bangs agitatedly. 

“Really? Because, you know, you’ve basically been repeating ‘Joonmyun’s perfect and this doesn’t make sense. I’m weird’ all the time at me lately before frowning and looking into space for extended periods of time. And that’s my thing, not yours.” There is the crinkling of a potato chip bag. 

“You don’t frown when you look off into space,” Luhan says and his mouth twitches in a smile despite the writhing in his gut. “You just look off into space and look brain dead. It’s like your robot shuts down.”

“I am not a robot,” Yixing protests. “I am a human.” A pause. “Most days.”

“And the other days?” Luhan asks, eyebrows raising slightly. 

“I’m a secret agent,” Yixing replies simply and Luhan snorts into the evening air. “So, do you know what you are going to say?”

Luhan’s smile slips off his face and he is once more frowning slightly and trying to sort out the horrible twisting in his stomach with the logic and confusion flashing in his brain. “Sort of.”

“Please tell me you’re not going with the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ bullshit because everyone knows that’s a total cop out and actually means ‘it’s totally you.’ I think you owe this guy some sort of decent excuse for dragging him along,” Yixing tells him and Luhan’s stomach, if anything, feels worse. 

“You’re horrible at pep talks,” Luhan grumbles, kicking an unsuspecting stone. 

“Your only alternative is Kris,” Yixing points out. “And he can make clowns cry. Plus he’s still trying to placate Chanyeol. And by placate, I mean calm the fuck down.”

“I hate your boyfriend,” Luhan says lowly into the phone and Yixing laughs on the other end. “Seriously, if he wasn’t Tao’s adopted love-child and you didn’t like him so much, I’d beat him half way to Switzerland for the shit I’ve had to deal with.”

“Jongin was just joking around,” Yixing tries to protest. “He didn’t actually think Chanyeol would take him seriously.”

“Chanyeol is all of the emotions Kris lacks,” Luhan snaps back as he turns down Joonmyun’s street and significantly decreases his walking speed. He takes a breath. This part is never fun. Or easy. “It doesn’t exactly take a genius to figure that out. Sorry Yixing, but you’re not exactly dating Isaac Newton.”

“I dunno,” Yixing says. “It did take an apple falling on Newton’s head before he realized gravity might be keeping him for wafting into the stratosphere. Honestly, I wouldn’t peg him as the most observant guy.”

“Do you have any idea what I’ve had to deal with this week?” Luhan sighs into his phone, leaning against a phone pole and shuffling his feet. 

“Letter bombs?” Yixing suggests before sighing. “Luhan, you’re stalling.”

Luhan bites his lip, head bowed and free hand forced so deeply into his pants pocket it may never come back out again. “I know,” he says softly and frowns. “It’s just, I hate doing this.”

“Luhan, you’ll hate yourself even more if you let this go on, because then no one will be happy, least of all you,” Yixing says pointedly and Luhan kicks against the side of his shoe, pushing away from the pole and walking again. 

“I know,” Luhan mumbles unhappily into his phone, dragging his feet up the front steps of Joonmyun’s building. It’s barely past seven at night. Luhan briefly wonders if Joonmyun is even home. “But that doesn't make this any easier.” He presses a finger to the doorbell and waits.

“Well, if it helps, good luck,” Yixing says and Luhan can hear the care just at the edges of his voice. 

“Thanks,” Luhan says before snapping his phone shut. He waits a minute, then two, and almost three when suddenly there is a rattling of iron and wood and the door swings open and Joonmyun looks out, his face suddenly twisting in surprise as he takes in Luhan standing outside his apartment. 

Luhan tries to smile. His face feels stiff. “Hi,” he says and Joonmyun’s face shadows just a little more. “Mind if I come in?”

Joonmyun doesn’t protest, just steps aside with a gallant sweep of his arm and ushers Luhan in. Luhan takes a breath and steps into the entrance.

 

~

 

“Luhan, what-?” Sehun barely gets the rest of the sentence out before Luhan is falling into him, arms wrapping around his back and burying his face in the taller man’s chest, closing his eyes and just breathing, trying to quell the shaking and writhing of his chest and stomach. 

Luhan hates breaking people. It’s always like a part of him breaks with them. 

Luhan, right now, just wants something to stabilize him because he can’t deal with everything right now. 

Luhan wants to be Professional Luhan because Real Luhan just wants to cry. 

The problem is, Professional Luhan also kind of wants to cry.

“Hey,” Sehun says softly, his arms coming up gently around Luhan as the older just breathes in the familiar scent of the other. “Rough day?”

Luhan just nods into Sehun’s chest and keeps his eyes closed. Everything is messed up right now. 

The joint fashion show and project with EXO M and 2NE1 has been causing significant amounts of work for Luhan and for EXO M in general. It’s far surpassing their normal degree of organized chaos. Most of the models have been stressed from working with CL and Tao has basically been a dramatic mix of hysterical sobbing, furious rants, and only calms down when Chen magically shows up, after which Tao will either burst into tears or lock the office and show up an hour later terrifyingly composed. 

Luhan misses their lattes because he could really use one these days. 

To top it off, Chanyeol is still being weird because CL has been making seriously inappropriate gestures towards Kris and Kris is too much of a stick to understand. Which has caused Kris to basically act like a disproportioned duck and cause more problems than Luhan has the patience or sanity to deal with right now. 

Because Luhan has also been dealing with dating a man he has severely confused emotions about. 

Well, had been.

Luhan is slightly scared that he feels more comfortable with his face pressed into Sehun’s Avengers tee-shirt than he ever did holding Joonmyun’s hand for extended periods of time. 

“Like you can’t even imagine,” Luhan mumbles into Captain America’s helmet and sighs. He finally pulls away and steps back, looking up at Sehun. “Um, this is a bit delayed, but do you mind if I come in for a while?”

Sehun doesn’t even flinch, instead taking Luhan by the hand and pulling him into the apartment without a word. Luhan sighs and let’s his eyes drift closed, following easily. His stomach is still writhing. It never really stopped from Joonmyun’s initial concerned expression to his completely crest fallen face when Luhan had told him this was the end and had continued the entire way home. 

Luhan barely even flinches when Sehun leads him into the living area. “Can I get you something?” he asks and Luhan finally opens his eyes. 

“Do you have hot chocolate?” Luhan asks and ignores the part that calls him a five year old because at this point, he just doesn’t care. 

Sehun flashes him a brilliant smile. “Be right back,” he says and strides swiftly to the kitchen. 

Luhan sighs again, running a hand over his face before collapsing backwards onto the couch, shoulders pressing into the seat cushion and legs hanging over the back of the couch in very weird angles. 

This is how Sehun finds him. Luhan doesn’t care, just lets himself lie on the couch and stare up at Sehun’s upside down bemused expression. “Don’t judge me,” Luhan says after a moment in which Sehun hasn’t really done anything but let his mouth quirk slightly, pink tongue flashing out. 

“That can’t be comfortable,” Sehun comments, and bends to place down the hot chocolate he’s holding before looking at Luhan. 

“You’d be surprised,” Luhan says and Sehun’s eyebrows raise. Without a word, Sehun is suddenly clambering onto the couch next to Luhan and mimicking his position, settling in closely to Luhan’s side so they’re practically snuggled together, haphazardly sprawled on the couch. Luhan bites his lip to keep from snorting as Sehun looks over at him, now also upside down, and raises his eyebrows. “See?”

“You’re a miracle,” Sehun says, and his eyes sparkle. “You’ve discovered the ultimate way to use a couch. Who would have thought we’ve been doing it wrong for centuries?”

And Luhan is laughing, the sound bursting from his chest and throat and making his eyes burn. His throat burn. His chest hurt and his stomach ache and it takes a moment for Luhan to realize he’s crying before Sehun wraps him in his arms and pulls him close. 

Sehun doesn’t ask and Luhan doesn’t say anything. Instead they stay like that, Luhan pressed into Sehun and quietly snuffling from time to time as Sehun rubs against his back soothingly and presses his mouth into Luhan’s mess of hair. 

Luhan falls asleep to the lullaby of Sehun’s heartbeat and the revelation that things with Joonmyun perhaps never worked, were never perfect, because Luhan’s heart was already filling with someone else. 

And there just wasn’t room for Joonmyun.

Sehun’s hands are warm. 

The next morning, when Luhan wakes up with thin but strong arms wrapped around him and a nose lodged into his ear, he doesn’t think before snuggling into the warmth surrounding him, face scratching against Iron Man and earning a small sound of protest. “Awake?” Sehun’s voice asks groggily as Luhan curls a hand in Sehun’s shirt. 

“No,” Luhan denies and feels Sehun puff a laugh against his hair. 

“Okay,” Sehun says and tightens his grip just slightly. 

Sehun doesn’t ask why Luhan came over to his apartment and snuggled him into his couch. Sehun doesn’t force him to talk. Instead, Sehun just reassures with soft touches and smiles and cracks small jokes once Luhan finally wakes up properly and laughs at his bed hair. Instead, Sehun cooks him breakfast and burns the eggs, setting off the smoke alarm and making Luhan laugh himself into the kitchen counter. 

Instead, Sehun makes Luhan’s chest hurt all over again with his bright smiles and innocently fumbling hands. With his pouts that come just before really becoming an adult. And Luhan remembers that Sehun is six years younger than him and chokes on his coffee. 

Which, granted, Luhan might have done anyway, because it does still have some of the grounds in it. 

Luhan walks into EXO M on Thursday after a hectic final week before the final EXO M and 2NE1 show and is met with the sight of Park Chanyeol sprawled in his chair behind his desk and looking as if world peace has finally been achieved. 

“Hi,” Luhan says, because what else do you say when someone is smiling with their entire body. 

“Hi!” Chanyeol chirps and spins to look at him. “You have very nice fishies.”

Luhan’s face creases slightly before he realizes Chanyeol is talking about his screen saver. “I call the clown fish Marvin and Nemo,” Luhan tells Chanyeol and earns a loud laugh. 

“Do you talk to them too?” Chanyeol asks and spins back and forth as Luhan comes to put his briefcase down on the desk. 

“Only if I’m really bored,” Luhan says, smiling despite the chaos in his heart and head. “Aren’t you supposed to be at, you know, your own job?”

“Technically, yes,” Chanyeol says, leaning back in Luhan’s chair and Luhan can hear the hardware creaking. “But I’m giving myself some time off.”

“Oh?” Luhan raises his eyebrows. 

“Kris has been stressed,” Chanyeol elaborates and Luhan resist the urge to throw his hands in exasperation. No shit, Sherlock.

“Yes, he has been,” Luhan says instead and smiles pleasantly, Professional Luhan slipping in as Real Luhan takes Chanyeol and shakes him by the hair in Luhan’s mind. “We’ve been really busy here and Kris has had a lot to do.” He glances sideways from where he’s sorting completed reports from the weekend. “Plus, you did kind of run from him and refuse to talk for a week. That kind of threw him.”

Chanyeol looks appropriately guilty before smiling foolishly. “But it’s okay now!” he says brightly and beams up at Luhan.

“So you two are good?” Luhan asks warily, pressing the power on his computer. 

“We’re rainbows,” Chanyeol glows at him and Luhan can’t help but cough out a laugh as Chanyeol watches him. “What about you, doll face? You’re not as shiny as you were last I saw you.”

Luhan starts slightly, turning to Chanyeol with raised eyebrows. From what he knows of Park Chanyeol, the man is not exactly prized for his observational skills. “What?”

Chanyeol shifts slightly. “Well, I may know things haven’t been going well with Joonmyun,” Chanyeol admits. 

Luhan’s stomach drops. “What?”

“I mean, that’s all personal and not my business, but it’s hard not to notice when one of my good friends is feeling down and, well, seeing you, something’s up.” Luhan thinks Kris doesn’t give Chanyeol nearly enough credit. “You don’t have to tell me.”

Luhan doesn’t know what happens. Professional Luhan just cracks and it’s like the one crack shatters him. His mouth breaks and he’s suddenly babbling, telling Chanyeol of his confused emotions and problems and intense stupidity and failing to be completely coherent. Chanyeol’s eyes widen significantly as he talks and Luhan is sure that Chanyeol is only getting about half of what he’s saying because most of it doesn’t make sense to his own brain. 

“That’s a lot of feelings that are confused,” Chanyeol finally says when Luhan has managed to clamp his mouth shut to stop the tirade. Luhan lets out a long breath and collapses against the side of his desk. 

“Yeah, mostly,” Luhan says heavily before running a hand through his bangs carefully. Professional Luhan is gone. Real Luhan is tired and vulnerable and his throat is tight. “You have emotions. What do you do with them?”

Chanyeol looks contemplative for a moment before flashing a smile. “I feel them,” Chanyeol says. “When I feel love, I let myself love. When I feel sad, I let myself feel sad. Besides, love is amazing. And though you may be feeling complicated now, somewhere, you’re feeling love. So feel that.” 

Luhan looks long and hard at Chanyeol as Chanyeol smiles back at him. “It’s a fucking miracle you and Kris found each other,” he tells Chanyeol as the elevator dings and Chanyeol is suddenly springing from Luhan chair with childlike enthusiasm. Luhan turns to see Kris’ face light up right before Chanyeol bounces to him and wraps him in a hug. 

Kris has a fraction of a moment of looking stupidly happy before he seems to recall that he is at work and supposed to be professional before pushing Chanyeol back and clearing his throat pointedly. Chanyeol beams delightedly at him before turning to the person following Kris out of the elevator and his smile turns tight, eyes slightly challenging. 

CL fixes her dark rimmed eyes on Chanyeol with distaste and Luhan suddenly understands exactly why Chanyeol is here. 

Luhan is too tired for this. “I’m taking a break,” he says and walks past Kris, pushing the down button of the elevator. He does not need to see Chanyeol and CL duke it out over property rights on Kris. 

Kris looks at him in shock. “You just got here,” he says and Luhan sighs, closing his eyes and breathing through his nose heavily. 

“I’m taking a break,” Luhan repeats, and steps into the elevator without another word, closing the door on Kris’ stunned face and CL’s dead eyes and Chanyeol’s questioning look. 

Luhan arrives at Tao’s studio ten minutes later, two large Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte’s in hand and slams Tao’s down in front of the designer, startling the taller man out of his designing coma. Luhan is frowning as he slumps himself into one of Tao’s chairs and his grip on his own drink is far too harsh. 

Tao doesn’t throw a snide comment at him. Instead, he picks up his latte and stands, dropping the piece he had been working on and raising an eyebrow at Luhan. Luhan glares at the wall and tries to take a sip of his drink. He burns his tongue. 

“I don’t think anyone has ever seen you scowl as much as you are doing so right now,” Tao says after a moment. “Did you get evicted again?”

“No, I did not get evicted,” Luhan says angrily into his coffee and sticks his burnt tongue between his lips gingerly. 

Tao raises an eyebrow slightly before taking a few idle steps towards Luhan, finally leaning against the edge of a workbench and just studying the smaller man. “Is Sehun dating someone?”

Luhan looks up, startled. “What?”

“Did Sehun start dating someone?” Tao repeats and Luhan’s stomach boils. 

“I-“ Luhan bites his lip. “No, I don't think so.”

Tao frowns. “Are you still dating Suho?” he asks and his tone is slightly harder. 

Luhan’s throat clenches as Joonmyun’s face, hurt flashing through his eyes as his expression falls away from behind itself, swims to the front of his mind. “No.” Luhan’s voice is low as he speaks and his tongue burns as he takes another drink of his latte. He grimaces. 

“And this is bad?” Tao asks and Luhan frowns at his coffee. 

“Tao, I broke his heart,” Luhan says, words bitter on his burnt tongue as he looks up at the dark designer. “I watched him break apart in front of me. It was horrible. And then, I couldn’t even be decent and feel guilty. Instead I went and took advantage of Sehun’s trust. I feel like I’ve been lying to everyone.”

Tao looks at him with raised eyebrows. “You took advantage of Sehun?” he asks and it takes Luhan a moment before he realizes what he sounded like. 

Luhan sputters. “Not like that!” Luhan fumbles out the words, blushing furiously. “I just, well, I felt so horrible after Joonmyun that I went and kind of broke down a bit on Sehun.” Luhan sighs and drops his head into a hand. “Tao, he’s six years younger than me.”

“Age differences occur all the time in dating,” Tao says easily. “You’re being an idiot.”

“I am not being an idiot!” Luhan snaps, snapping his head back up. “Sehun isn’t even out of university yet and looks at me like an older brother. Yet here I am running from breaking one man’s heart into the unsuspecting arms of another.” Luhan sighs and rubs a hand at the bridge between his eyebrows, trying to sooth the headache starting there. 

“You’re such a drama queen,” Tao says and Luhan shoots him a look. Tao shoots him one back with a raised eyebrow. “You know that says a lot when I’m the one saying it.”

Luhan continues to frown. “You’re not helping,” he states.

Tao sniffs harshly through his nose. “I already told you my advice on this,” he says brusquely. “So far, you’ve only done half of those things. Be a smart boy and complete the sequencing.”

“I can’t date Sehun,” Luhan tries to protest but Tao suddenly spins and throws a rolled up measuring tape at him. Luhan dodges just in time. 

“Why not!” Tao snaps, and huffs in annoyance at Luhan. “Why can’t you date Sehun? What is stopping you? You’re not dating Joonmyun, you’re not in love with Joonmyun, and you are attracted to Sehun. So what is the problem, Luhan?”

“I don’t know!” Luhan yells back, his own tempter snapping and he slams down his latte on the table, the top snapping off and sloshing flavored coffee onto the table. Luhan stomps to his feet and glares at Tao. “I can’t date him! I just broke up with Joonmyun, who was basically perfect and I’m still wondering if that was the smart move because even if I like Sehun, he’s still fucking young and I have no idea if I just threw away a perfectly good relationship for someone who may not be interested in me at all! Who I’m still not sure about!”

 _“Luhan!”_ Tao half shouts at him. “I know you are smarter than this!” 

“What does my intelligence have to do with this?” Luhan snaps at him. “This is not a matter of my intelligence. Though if I were really smart I would have stayed with Joonmyun and forgotten about Sehun because that’s practical and useful and strategic and what I am doing is completely the opposite because there is no definite solution.” 

Tao looks at him with a dark calculating look. “Stop talking like this is some sort of business proposal. This isn’t a physics equation, this is-“

“Life is much simpler when it is a physics equation,” Luhan snaps. “Technically dating is just rules of attraction. A likes B dependent on variables C and B likes A dependent on variables D. If A and B have equal interest, they date. If not, they do not. There should be no variable X. There should be no independent clauses and amendments. It’s simple.”

“Life isn’t simple, Luhan,” Tao says flatly. 

“Well, it should be,” Luhan snaps back. He takes a few deep breaths as Tao watches him, a scowl on his features. Luhan shifts his weight, his bottom lip dragging unconsciously between his teeth. He didn’t mean to emotionally explode at Tao. It just sort of happened. Though frankly, with everything Luhan has been bottling up lately, he’s surprised it didn’t explode earlier. The previous rambling jumble at Chanyeol earlier is proof of how drawn Luhan is. 

Yelling never makes Luhan feel better. It just makes him feel even more tired. 

Luhan looks down at the remains of his latte before looking back up at Tao. “Um, do you have paper towels?” 

Tao gives him a long, very scrutinizing look before sighing dramatically. “Check the supply closet. There should be some cleaning supplies.” He turns to let Luhan be, but pauses. “And Luhan,” Luhan looks up. Tao offers him a rare smile. “That’s mahogany. So be careful with it.”

Luhan knows Tao isn’t really talking about the table. The problem is Luhan doesn’t entirely understand what Tao is actually talking about and he’s too tired and conflicted to try to figure it out. 

Luhan finds Minseok at the end of the day and convinces him with a look to take him out for dinner. Minseok doesn’t comment on Luhan’s ruffled appearance or drawn expression. He instead talks about all the random stuff that has been going on with the models for the joint show next week and Luhan just listens until they are seated at a familiar restaurant and Minseok orders them two rounds of drinks before Luhan can open his mouth. 

“You look like you need a drink,” Minseok tells Luhan when Luhan shoots him a look. 

“I’m exhausted, how is alcohol a good idea?” Luhan asks wearily. 

“You broke up with Joonmyun and have been beating yourself up because of him and Sehun for the past five days as well as dealing with the Kris Chanyeol show and EXO M,” Minseok says pointedly, shoving Luhan’s drink into his hand. “Bottoms up before I get a funnel.”

“I don’t know if this is friendship or torture,” Luhan grumbles as he drinks and feels gin burn down his throat. 

“Isn’t it funny how those two are so frequently confused?” Minseok grins at him and Luhan laughs bitterly. “So, I’ve been stalling for you for the past hour, I think it’s about time you talked your guts out.”

Luhan sighs and takes another drink. “I broke up with Joonmyun,” Luhan says and his tongue twinges from where he burned it earlier. “And kind of realized I like Sehun.”

“Well, that last bit was a bit obvious,” Minseok says and gives Luhan a look. “I mean, even you knew you were feeling uncomfortable dating Joonmyun, but you seemed to be the only one who didn’t notice why.”

“Meaning?” Luhan asks, frowning. 

“Luhan, you never really liked him,” Minseok says simply, taking a chunk of bread from their dinner basket. “Sure, you liked him because he was handsome and nice and a gentleman but mostly because _he_ liked _you_. You do this thing where you like people who adore you, and he basically fawned over you.”

Luhan frowns. “You make me sound like an attention whore,” he says and takes another drink. 

Minseok snorts. “You are a little bit, yeah,” he says and Luhan kicks him lightly under the table. Minseok rolls his eyes and kicks back. “The point is, you were never really interested in dating Joonmyun because you were never really interested in _him_ in the first place. You liked the idea, not the reality.”

“Did you trade bodies with Tao or something?” Luhan asks, raising an eyebrow. 

Minseok snorts. “Tao has been weird since he had to start cooperating with CL and since Chen got him whipped.”

“ _Chen_ has _him_ whipped?” Luhan repeats incredulously. 

“Oh come on, Tao obeys like a puppy as soon as Chen comes into the picture. He’s fucking whipped.” Minseok shoots Luhan a look. 

“Your view on relationships is so weird,” Luhan comments and grabs a hunk of bread himself, taking a bite. 

“Anyway, my point is your breaking up with Joonmyun was doing both of you a huge favor,” Minseok continues, stealing the last piece of bread from the basket and smirking at Luhan’s disappointed frown. “Because now you’re not lying to yourself or to him and he can go on and try to find someone else to dote on and you can find someone who works for you.”

“I’m not supposed to date someone who fawns over me?” Luhan asks dryly, polishing off his gin and tonic and feeling his face prickle with warmth. He nods to the waitress who sets their entrees in front of them. 

Minseok snorts. “Are you kidding? You’d punch them eventually. You hate being treated like a princess. I distinctly remember you kneeing that guy, Kangin, I think, in the stomach when he wouldn't stop making kissy faces at you and trying to dote on you. That relationship lasted barely a week before you dropped him.”

“Oh my God, I forgot about him,” Luhan says, recalling the extremely brief relationship and snorting a laugh out. Minseok waves for another round of drinks. “But there was no permanent damage done.”

“Aside from wounding his pride at having a cutie like you beating this shit out of him, no,” Minseok says and smirks. 

“I’m false advertising,” Luhan snorts in to his spaghetti and Minseok rolls his eyes. 

“You’re not false advertising, you’re just too precious for your own good,” Minseok says. “Guys want to treat you as delicately as they see you. What you need to find is someone who isn’t as obsessed with your delicacy and instead lets you be you.”

“And who am I?” Luhan asks around a mouthful of pasta. 

“A weirdo who rolls around on his bed like a five year old and throws things at the television while Manchester plays Liverpool before punching his friends in the stomach.”

Luhan coughs out a laugh into his food and nearly chokes before looking up at Minseok guiltily. “I may have also forgotten about that too.”

“My kidneys will never forget that,” Minseok says darkly before cracking a smile at Luhan. “Now shut up and drink your alcohol.”

Luhan laughs and does as he is told. 

Luhan considers later than he really shouldn’t listen to Minseok when he make rash suggestions. _'You can totally handle another round"_ being one of those higher ranking on list, especially since the fourth round was dirty martinis and Luhan doesn’t even like olives. The world certainly sparkles a lot more though when you’re four drinks deep and Luhan is frowning at his feet as he half stumbles from the taxi, trying to rationalize the rest of the walk home and mumbling something that may be in Chinese at the cabby.

Luhan has barely made it half way down the street, grumbling to himself as he goes over his and Minseok’s progressively less coherent conversation over dinner and his feet cross unexpectedly when a voice sounds from some random direction.

Luhan looks up. 

Sehun’s face swims into vision and Luhan, for lack of a better explanation, hums and grins like an idiot at the familiar visage. 

“Luhan?” Sehun repeats and his eyebrows crease attractively in their dark special way.

“That is correct!” Luhan says proudly, pointing to Sehun and continuing to grin. “My name is Luhan. And not Bambi and no one calls me Xiao Lu because this isn’t China anymore.” He blinks hard because the street lights are exceptionally bright. 

“Are you okay?” Sehun asks and his voice seems really quiet. Are they really that far away from each other?

“Absolutely not,” Luhan answers in blatant honesty and tries to walk forward and stumbles slightly. “I am all sorts of horrible. Give me a hug.”

“What?” Sehun barely gets out before Luhan flumps into his chest, wrapping his arms around Sehun’s upper body, his legs half giving out as he buries his face in Sehun’s collarbones and breathes in deeply. “Luhan, are you-“

Luhan hums, pressing his face into Sehun and feeling his stomach, which still hadn’t really stopped writhing since Monday, give a pleasant roll and his heart beats slightly faster, the sound drumming in his ears heavily as the soft smell of cinnamon wafts into his nose and dulled senses. “You’re comfy,” Luhan mumbles and gets a mouthful of tee-shirt. He tightens his arms around Sehun and grins in contentment. “I like you.”

“Um,” Sehun’s voice rumbles against Luhan’s nose and he sighs, turning his face so he can sag a little more comfortably into Sehun. “I like you, too?” Sehun says and Luhan’s brain sings in his head. Luhan nestles himself further into Sehun as the taller’s arms come around him tentatively. 

“Good,” Luhan says. “Because I’m amazing and you should like me.”

Sehun snorts and brings a hand up to the back of Luhan’s head, smoothing down hair and eliciting a sigh. “So modest.” Luhan frowns, something in the way Sehun’s voice is aloof making him pull back. 

“You’re not fair,” Luhan says, frowning deeply as Sehun’s face swims before him. “Stop it.”

Sehun frowns at him as Luhan tries to keep his eyes from crossing. “Stop what?”

“That!” Luhan says and frowns even more, trying to steady himself on his feet and tugging at Sehun’s shirt. “Stop!”

Sehun looks lost and his eyebrows crease more as his eyes darken and Luhan hears his heart pounding blood through him. “What! What am I doing?”

“Being so goddamn young,” Luhan snaps and then shoves his face into Sehun’s neck again because finally admitting it, finally saying that which makes him so guilty of the clawing around his ribs just makes his throat hurt and head spin. Though, to be fair that may be the alcohol. “You’re not fair.”

“What do you mean I’m young?” Sehun’s voice vibrates against Luhan’s nose as he presses it into his sternum and feels the warmth of Sehun seeping into his front. Luhan likes that warmth. A lot. 

“You’re young and nice and probably innocent and that’s really unfair,” Luhan grumbles into Sehun’s skin and can’t really understand what he says himself. So he sighs and turns his head, resting it on Sehun’s shoulder heavily and pressing his cheek to Sehun’s strong collarbones. “You have really nice collarbones,” Luhan says to the side of Sehun’s neck, eyes tracing the curve of Sehun’s adam’s apple. 

“Um, thanks?” Sehun says and his breath puffs over Luhan’s hair. “Luhan, are you-?” But he stops because Luhan has closed his eyes and is warm and pressing his face into Sehun’s neck and nuzzling slightly. There is a brief pause in which Luhan’s heart skips a few beats and the smell and feel of Sehun is about as intoxicating as that last martini had been. And then Sehun is pushing Luhan away, earning a moan of protest as he holds Luhan up firmly by the shoulders and at arms length. “Luhan, what are you doing?” Sehun’s voice swims into Luhan’s ears, sounding agitated and stretched. “Were you just,” Sehun bites his lip, frowning at Luhan and Luhan frowns even more because he can’t really see Sehun’s eyes. “Were you just nuzzling me?”

“Yes,” Luhan says bluntly and sags slightly towards Sehun, trying to return to the delightful warmth and the burning in his stomach that only Sehun seems to bring him. His pulse pounds through him. “Stop being young.”

Sehun scowls at him and something passes over his face. “You’re dating Joonmyun,” Sehun says, and his voice spikes in Luhan’s ears.

“No,” Luhan protests, shaking his head violently and losing his balance, stumbling slightly again and trying to return to Sehun, who was so wonderfully stable, but Sehun holds him steady. “I was dating Joonmyun. I broke up with him on Saturday.”

Luhan smiles widely at Sehun. Somehow, telling Sehun he broke up with Joonmyun was much easier than he expected. How about that? Sehun is looking at him with his eyes slightly wide. “You broke up with Joonmyun? Why?”

Luhan snorts. “Because it was bad,” Luhan answers agitatedly. “Come back, you’re warm.” 

Sehun drops his hands from Luhan as if he’s been burned, stepping back swiftly and away from Luhan’s raised hands, causing the older to stumble slightly. Sehun’s face is shrouded in darkness and Luhan frowns, squinting into the darkness as his mouth feels too dry. “Is that all I am?” Sehun’s voice is as dark as the night around him. “You break up with Joonmyun and just expect that I’ll… that I’m…”

Luhan realizes something is wrong. Something hasn’t been said. This isn’t right at all. “Sehun, you-“ Luhan tries to say but his words fall over themselves on their way out of his mouth. 

“I’m not some sort of fucking rebound,” Sehun snaps and Luhan flinches. 

Oops. 

“Sehun, you’re not- that’s – you’ve got this-“ Luhan should win an award in how to not make coherent sentences. 

“Really? I’ve got this wrong? Because it sure as hell feels like I’ve got it very right. You drop Joonmyun, who was fucking rainbows in love with you, and then come onto me?” Sehun’s voice is high and low and pitching all over the spectrum and it makes Luhan’s head hurt almost as much as his chest. Oops. “I was wrong about you, Luhan. You’re not at all the person I thought you were,” Sehun says, voice low and breaking slightly and Luhan wants to reach out, to stop this, because it’s wrong. So wrong. 

“Sehun, that’s not-“ Luhan tries to get out, raising a hand slightly towards the younger but Sehun flinches back. “Sehun,” Luhan tries to snap out but it drags too long on his tongue and he scowls. 

“No,” Sehun bites back and Luhan can barely make out his eyes in the darkness, but they glint at him and Luhan feels like he’s been punched in the chest. “I’m not doing this. I can’t believe you even thought of doing this. I thought-“ He stops, looking away, and swallows. It looks difficult. “I thought I-“

Luhan never knows what Sehun thought, because Sehun never finishes his sentence, instead turning sharply and vanishing into the night, practically sprinting down the street to his apartment and leaving Luhan feeling unbalanced and cold and empty. 

A few streets down, a car horn blares and it snaps Luhan back to reality. The sound literally slams him back to earth as his vision clears and his mind catches up and seems to settle on one perfect encompassing word for what just happened. 

Fuck.

Without a moments more hesitation, he’s throwing himself down the street after Sehun. But it’s too late. Sehun is gone. Vanished into his apartment and Luhan is too late. 

Breathing heavily, Luhan drags a hand over his face and sighs, closing his eyes as his head swims and he pulls out his phone, pressing the speed dial and waiting. The phone rings for a while before cutting off. Luhan tries again, praying Sehun will pick up. The line rings again and Luhan feels like he waits an eternity before it once again cuts off. Scowling, Luhan tries again and is met immediately with the automated message telling him the phone number he is trying to reach is currently unavailable and to please try again later. 

Groaning in frustration, Luhan glares at his phone and then up at the building before his face falls. That did not go at all the way it should have. Sighing, Luhan drags himself away from the building and stumbles back to his own. He punches in the buzzer and misses a few times, before he yells in frustration. 

“Dude, you okay?” 

Luhan yelps, spinning and nearly falling over because of his still unstable legs that have four drinks lodged in them. Yoochun is standing at the base of the steps holding a grocery bag full of what looks like cat food. 

“Fine,” Luhan manages to push past his teeth as his stomach gives a nasty turn. 

“Because you look like someone just beat you with a broom,” Yoochun says and shakes his long bangs out of his eyes. “Or you’re just wasted.”

“Both?” Luhan mumbles before his brain to mouth filter kicks in and he winces at the admission. 

“Want help?” Yoochun asks, raising an eyebrow as he climbs the steps to punch in the correct key code and the door clicks open. 

“I can survive on my own,” Luhan says, and juts out his lower lip in determination. “I’m mostly entirely self sufficient.”

Yoochun just shoots him an amused look. “Well, if you need me, you know where to find me.”

“You are a very kind weird person,” Luhan mumbles into his own mouth as he shuffles past Yoochun to the elevator and presses the up button with a little more misery than he might at a funeral. 

“Thanks?” Yoochun says from behind him and Luhan closes his eyes to stop the pounding that begins in his ears. 

“Anytime,” Luhan grumbles before practically falling into the elevator. 

Luhan makes it into his apartment. He makes it to the bathroom, where he empties about sixty dollars worth of cocktails into the septic, and then crumples onto his bed and lies for maybe forty seconds before spontaneously flailing and yelling and kicking in every direction. 

This is not wise, as it leaves Luhan immediately dizzy and nauseous and panting as his entire body burns. Eyes closed, Luhan fumbles around on his bedside table before finally locating his phone and dragging it towards himself with a groan. Cracking open an eye, because somehow everything is easier to see with only one eye open when you’re brain is drunk and your life sucks. He punches the ‘call’ button and sags the phone against his face, listening to the dial tone. 

“Be important or I’m screaming,” Tao says at him.

“Fuck, wrong person,” Luhan spits out into the receiver and punches the mattress in futility.

“Luhan?”

“No, it’s Jesus. You haven’t been included in salvation. Fuck life,” Luhan spits into his phone as he scowls. 

“Not like I was expecting to be included or anything,” Tao says back smoothly. “Though I am surprised you have less hair. And isn’t Jesus super tall?”

“Fuck you,” Luhan snaps and hits his bed again. “I didn’t mean to call you, you asshole.”

“And you can’t hang up why?” Tao’s voice is saturated with amusement and it makes Luhan’s teeth feel fuzzy. 

“Because my phone is sitting on my face and if I move I may throw up again,” Luhan grumbles into the device and winces, his eyes closed and his stomach turning again.

“Who thought it was wise to give you, who is for once emotionally unstable, alcohol?” Tao’s voice drawls. 

“Kill Baozi when you see him next week,” Luhan grumbles. 

“Who were you trying to call?” Tao asks, not commenting on the new death warrant Luhan has proposed. 

“Yixing,” Luhan sighs and runs a hand through his hair. 

“Why?”

“Because I want to get life talks and Minseok is more drunk than me and you’re a mixed bag unless you’ve just been laid,” Luhan gurgles into his phone. 

“Your brain to mouth filter vanishes when you drink, you know that?” Tao states before sighing. “What did you do?”

“Broke my life,” Luhan spits and clenches his fingers in his hair, pulling painfully. 

“Obviously,” Tao drawls. “This seems to be a growing trend with you. How did you do it this time?”

“I hit on Sehun after breaking up with Joonmyun,” Luhan pouts into the phone. 

“You hit on Sehun,” Tao repeats. 

“Well, I collapsed onto him. And I’m drunk. And he smells awesome and is comfy and I like his things and I don’t think he understood he’s not a rebound.”

“You’re incompetent,” Tao says flatly and Luhan thrashes, phone dangerously close to falling off his face. “Seriously, Luhan. You couldn’t have waited until you’re sober to tell Sehun you want into his pants?”

“I didn’t want into his pants! I just wanted to lick his collarbones!” Luhan snaps angrily into the phone. 

“Lick his what?” Tao seems bemused. 

“Collarbones. They’re fucking deadly.” Luhan moans and sniffles. “Tao, what do I do?”

“Thrash on your bed some more,” Tao tells him. “You’re good at doing that.”

“Tao!” Luhan snaps and kicks at his wall. He fortunately misses. “You’re supposed to be the one with advice and shit and, fuck, I may throw up again.” Luhan curls into himself as his stomach boils.

“Go expel your misery into modern plumbing,” Tao says, a hit of repulsion in his voice. 

“Then what?” Luhan moans. “Tao, help.”

“You basically just let Sehun believe he’s a rebound and means nothing to you,” Tao says. “You dug yourself into this, dig yourself out. You’re smart.”

“I hate you,” Luhan grumbles into his phone. 

“I’ll have coffee waiting for you on your desk tomorrow with pepto bismal and two breakfast sandwiches,” Tao says, and there is what may be a smile in his voice. 

“I still hate you,” Luhan repeats as he sighs before biting his lip as his stomach gurgles. 

“Not as much as you hate Baozi and martini’s,” Tao says before the line dies. Luhan, as he stumbles with jerking motions to the bathroom, couldn’t agree more. 

Luhan looks like shit the vast majority of the next day. He slumps past the front secretaries without a word, sun glasses over his eyes to hide how bloodshot they are and his hair sticks up at the back. He doesn’t even flinch when Kris pokes his head from his office and does a double take at Luhan’s hunched form and slightly shaking hands. Luhan feels a little heartened at the sight of a large bottle of Gatorade, two coffees, and two breakfast sandwiches lying on his desk with a note reading ‘you owe me’ lying on top. But not much. 

“You look different,” Kris says after a moment. 

“Fuck you,” Luhan bites out as his head gives a particularly strong throb. 

“You do know that people usually go out drinking on Friday and not Thursday, right?” Kris asks and shifts with his hands in his pockets. 

Luhan looks up, scowling and mouth open to reply when he stops short. “What the fuck are you wearing?” he says instead of the original retort as he takes in Kris’s current appearance. “And what is wrong with your hair?”

Kris frowns and glances down at himself. “What?”

“You look like you just stepped out of home country living,” Luhan says and takes off his sunglasses to see better, beyond caring at how bad his complexion is because Kris is in a brightly colored sweater cardigan with his hair lying gently on his head, for once not styled off his face. “What the fuck happened?”

Kris blinks at him before looking back down at himself, a hand coming up to brush the soft bangs out of his eyes. “It’s not that bad,” he comments loftily. 

“Who are you and what have you done with Kris?” Luhan demands before sagging against his desk and letting out a moan. “You look like you rolled out of hipster L.L. Beans.”

“You look like you were just run over,” Kris says, raising and eyebrow but Luhan isn’t entire sure because there’s _hair in the way now_. 

“At least I got dressed like a normal person this morning,” Luhan snaps, slamming his brief case on his desk with an angry expression and wincing as the loud bang it causes shoots painfully through his skull. 

“Good for you,” Kris says, and his mouth quirks. “You can get dressed by yourself. Well done, Luhan.”

“Go die,” Luhan scratches out, snatching up one of the coffees and taking a long drink from it. It doesn’t make his teeth feel any less fuzzy but it does help. 

“What happened?” Kris asks, and his face takes on a concerned note. Luhan tries not to look at Kris too much, seeing as the violent explosion of color on the other currently hurts his eyes. “I’ve never seen you look like this. Are things not going well with Joonmyun?”

“We broke up,” Luhan’s voice grates out as he jabs his computer awake. “Like, a week ago.”

“Really?” Kris sounds very surprised at his lack of observational skills. “So things didn’t work out then, huh?”

“Not really,” Luhan grumbles as company charts and details flicker onto his computer screen. 

“I’m sorry,” Kris says and shifts his weight. “But really, he doesn’t know what he’s missing. I’m sure-“

"Oh, Jesus Christ, I broke up with _him_!” Luhan snaps, turning to glare at Kris. “Don't you have a company I have to run for you? Go away.” Luhan slumps into his chair and buries his face into his hands, elbows resting hard on the desk. 

“Why did you break up with him?” Kris asks. Apparently he in incapable of obedience. 

“Because I want to die alone and miserable,” Luhan says wearily into his hands, sighing as his head throbs. He cracks his fingers and looks through them at Kris. “I think I may be in love with someone else.”

Kris’s face makes a very humorous expression Luhan usually would have laughed at but can’t today because he may throw up again. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, but I also may have given them impression they’re a rebound and fucked my life,” Luhan continues wearily, dropping his hands and grabbing a breakfast sandwich, unwrapping it and shoving it into his mouth. 

Kris looks at him for a long time and it isn’t until Luhan is half way through the bacon egg and cheese sandwich before he clears his throat. “Fix it,” Kris says, as if that’s the simplest thing in the world. 

Luhan shoots him a look. “Fix it?” Luhan repeats, scowling over his desk at Kris. “Fix it?!”

“Yeah,” Kris says, and shrugs. “You’re smart, Luhan. You not relationally incompetent. So you fucked up. That happens. But unlike most of us, you can figure out what to do without having a mental breakdown.”

Luhan scowls at Kris. “You should never ever give pep talks,” he tells his CEO and friend. 

“I’m just being honest,” Kris says, giving Luhan a look with his head cocked to the side slightly. “Besides, I’m sure Sehun will listen if you make him understand.” 

It isn’t until Kris has turned back and walked into his office, that hideously colored sweater finally absent from Luhan’s spectrum of vision and Luhan is on his second cup of coffee that he realizes he never told Kris it was Sehun he was probably in love with. He groans into his bite of egg and bacon and crumples into his desk as his stomach writhes again. 

Luhan feels horribly awkward, standing outside of Sehun’s apartment at ten in the morning in his best jeans and a cozy but attractive sweater, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet as he waits for Sehun to maybe, hopefully, magically open his door. He reaches forward and presses the doorbell again for the sixth time and bites his lip. 

So, Luhan may have been standing outside of Sehun’s apartment for close to forty minutes. So what? His nerves could always use some exercise and his stomach likes to house every reptile known to man. He reaches forward and presses the buzzer again, pausing a moment with his finger just a hair away, before pressing again, and then again, and then again until he is practically pummeling the poor device. 

_“What!”_ Sehun explodes as he wrenches the door open and practically throws himself in the hallway looking as if he literally just fell out of bed. 

Sehun apparently wears low tank tops and boxers with dancing robots on them to sleep. 

There is a brief moment in which Luhan’s mouth hangs open and he stands frozen while Sehun blinks the sleep from his eyes before they widen and his mouth falls open in horrified shock. Sehun lets out a strangled yell before flinging himself back into his apartment and slamming the door in Luhan’s face. 

Luhan is pretty sure he is bright red as he hears Sehun apparently fall against a wall in his haste to get the fuck away from the door. That could have gone better. A large part of Luhan has no idea what to do while the last vestiges of Professional Luhan tell him to turn around and walk away now before something even more embarrassing happens. 

Professional Luhan isn’t doing so well at the moment, as the rest of Luhan basically keeps him rooted to the spot and wondering if the door will open again or not. He doesn’t look at his watch, and tries not to fidget too much as the lady down the hall puts out her recycling and gives him a very complex look that he smiles nervously at. After about fifteen minutes the door cracks open and Sehun’s head pokes out tentatively. Luhan does his best to smile apologetically as Sehun’s eyes land on him and widen marginally before darkening and narrowing. 

“Hi,” Luhan says as brightly as he can and smiling as best as he can. Sehun just looks at him. He’s put on a sweatshirt and pants but still looks half off the shores of consciousness. And very unhappy to be there. “Um, can I come in and, um…”

“Apologize?” Sehun says, and his tone is a little harsh, making Luhan flinch slightly. 

“Yeah, that,” Luhan says and has the decency to look as guilty as he is. “I brought bubble tea and donuts.”

Sehun’s eyebrows raise slightly as he eyes the bags Luhan holds up. “How long have you been waiting outside of my apartment?” Sehun asks, his eyes flickering back and forth between the proffered foods and Luhan’s pleading expression. 

“About an hour?” Luhan ventures and Sehun eyebrows twitch a little further up his face before he finally moves and allows Luhan to walk inside. Luhan does so timidly, feeling very much aware that what he does in the next five minutes could either see him saving what he severely messed up the other night or losing both a friend and the person he’s come to the horrifying discovery he’s fallen for. 

Luhan sets down the bubble tea and donuts on the kitchen counter before turning around and seeing Sehun leaning against the wall by the kitchen entrance, arms folded over his chest and watching Luhan keenly. Luhan swallows as his stomach tries to crawl into his lungs. Sehun sighs slightly and his face falls from the annoyed frown he’s been holding since he opened the door to a slightly pained pleading look. 

“I’m sorry,” comes tumbling out of Luhan’s mouth before he can really organize his thoughts against the pounding of his heart. “I’m sorry for what happened the other night. I was drunk and-“

“That’s not an excuse,” Sehun interrupts him and his face falls even more, even though Luhan can see him trying to keep it in place. “Plus, it’s not just the other night. You’ve been using me all week, haven’t you?” Luhan’s stomach fills with rocks. He hasn’t been using Sehun. “Why didn’t you tell me you broke up with Joonmyun?”

“Because I was still struggling with it myself,” Luhan says, feeling tired and uneasy. “Sehun, I wasn’t taking advantage of you this week. Though I am sorry for basically decomposing on Saturday. That was not intentional.”

“I was wondering what that was about,” Sehun says and sighs, walking forward and grabbing the bubble tea off the counter. He sticks the straw in his mouth and takes a sip, grimacing slightly. “How long did you say you were standing out there?”

“An hour? Maybe an hour an a half?” Luhan ventures, smiling apologetically. “To be fair, you were the one who wouldn't answer your door.”

“You’re the one apologizing right now,” Sehun says, shooting Luhan a look over his bubble tea as he fumbles with one hand in the donut bag. “Not me.”

Luhan takes a breath and turns to Sehun fully. “I am sorry for Thursday night. I know I was drunk but it really isn’t an excuse. I was wrong and I do not think of you as some sort of rebound.” Luhan swallows as Sehun’s face tightens and he glares at the donuts in the bag. “I wasn’t really thinking and had a really horrible day and have been really turned up for breaking things with Joonmyun-“

“Why did you break up with him, anyway?” Sehun asks, interrupting as he pulls a donut from the bag and shoots Luhan a look. “I thought you two were perfect in your perfect perfection.” Sehun’s face darkens slightly. 

Luhan frowns. “We weren’t,” Luhan say before pressing his lips together and sighing. “We never were. Things, well, they never really clicked for me. And I knew that by the time I had that figured out that if I kept dating him not only would I get really uncomfortable and cold, but he would probably get miserable. That relationship wasn’t going to work.”

Sehun is looking at him intensely when Luhan finishes, donut in his hand with a huge chunk out of it but Sehun isn’t chewing. “Fo yuu juft defidud do fump hiph afff?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak cookie monster,” Luhan says, and grins despite himself. 

Sehun rolls his eyes, chews and swallows. “So you just decided to dump his ass and be done with things?”

“That’s a really indelicate way of putting it,” Luhan says, frowning slightly. 

“And then proceed to molest me,” Sehun continues, ignoring Luhan’s comment. “While drunk.”

“I did not molest you,” Luhan says, his face coloring slightly and he looks away. Sehun coughs slightly. “Okay, I kind of molested you, but it wasn’t because I was looking for a rebound.”

“So you were, what, expecting a one night stand?” Sehun says, eyebrows raising even more and Luhan chokes. 

“What?! No!” Luhan immediately stumbles out and he slams his knee against the kitchen counter in his shocked trying to turn to Sehun quickly. “Ow, fuck! No!” Sehun snorts at him. “Sehun, you-“

But Sehun is laughing, donut crumbs clinging to his mouth and shoulders shaking in his baggy gray sweatshirt and there are still sleep lines around his face and a pillow crease in his left cheek and Luhan still thinks it’s one of the most beautiful things. He swallows and clenches his fist in the cuffs of his sweater to keep from reaching out and brushing those crumbs from Sehun’s small smiling mouth. Instead, Luhan waits for Sehun to calm his laughter and swallows around the emotions lodged in his throat. 

“It’s okay,” Sehun finally says, and sniffs, brushing the back of his hand to his lips to wipe away the donut remains. “I forgive you for.. um… stuff.” He shoots a look to Luhan under his messy bangs. “I can’t really stay mad at you for too long.”

“Really?” Luhan asks, and gives a small smile, eyebrows rising. 

“Well, not when you bring me donuts and bubble tea,” Sehun adds with a full smile. Luhan feels a lot of the tension he had been holding in his limbs fade, as if just Sehun’s forgiving smile can once more bring peace and harmony to the mess that has currently been raging about him in spades. “What are you up to today?” Sehun asks, taking another bite of donut. 

“Um.” Luhan fidgets. “I hadn’t really got past the ‘apologize to Sehun’ part,” Luhan admits, eyes on the counter and fighting back the flush on his face. “I didn’t really know how long that would take.”

Sehun watches him for a moment. “I was going to head over to RumbleMuffins later. Baekhyun has been test driving new help and, well, it’s a miracle some of them are still alive.” Sehun pauses, frowning as he takes a sip of bubble tea. “Want to play soccer?”

“Soccer?” Luhan asks, eyebrows raising along with his spirits. He hasn’t played soccer since…

“Well, I remember you saying once you haven’t played forever,” Sehun says, shrugging and fumbling slightly with the last half of his donut. “I figured it’s something we could do before making sure Baekhyun doesn’t murder anyone.”

“Are the new employees that bad?” Luhan asks as Sehun shoves the last bite of donut into his mouth. 

“Fsa worlst,” Sehun says, giving a pointed look with his mouth full of breakfast pastry before smiling. Luhan smiles as Sehun’s smile seems to warm the room. 

Soccer is fun. 

RumbleMuffins is a bomb waiting to go off. Luhan watches as Baekhyun prowls around on edge constantly, his eyes frequently shooting to the tall boy behind the counter who seems to think that tapping musical rhythms with a spoon against Baekhyun’s carefully organized coffee canisters is a great way to pass the time between customers. 

“Here,” Baekhyun says, shoving what is unmistakably a meat tenderizer into Sehun’s hand after Sehun and Luhan have barely been there five minutes. “Don't let me have that. Under any circumstances.”

“This one is new,” Sehun comments, eyes on the tall barista in training who is currently swaying back and forth to his own haphazard drum beats. “Does he have a name or are you just referring to them by number now.”

“Sungyeol,” Baekhyun says, and winces as Sungyeol drops his spoon after a complicated drum flourish and fumbles behind the counter. “I didn't think they could get worse after Jongup.” He looks back to Sehun. “I was wrong.”

“That bad, huh?” Sehun comments as Luhan fiddles with a napkin, sitting across from Sehun and watching the conversation feeling relatively comfortable. Though there is still a slightly awkward edge lingering from his conversation with Sehun this morning, Luhan is pretty sure that, if he doesn’t mess up again, maybe, just maybe, he can swing things back to normal. 

And if things can return to normal, then maybe, just maybe, there is hope that Luhan can actually-

“Put that down before you hurt yourself!” Baekhyun is suddenly yelling, falling over himself slightly as he hurries to the bar where Sungyeol is holding up the fruit juicer and looking at it curiously. “Or more importantly, put that down before you hurt it.”

“What does it do?” Sungyeol asks, flashing a gummy smile at Baekhyun as his supervisor stumbles behind the counter and snatches the device from his hands, cradling it to his chest and frowning. 

“It makes juice,” Baekhyun snaps scowling. “Now go wash dishes before I juice you.”

Sungyeol just smiles a weirdly coy smile before brushing past Baekhyun to the sink. “You know, it’s no wonder you’re so devastatingly single. You won’t let anyone near you, let alone your possessions.” 

Baekhyun slams down the fruit juicer and makes strangling hand gestures to Sungyeol’s turned back, face twisted in abject irritation. 

“I do not envy him,” Luhan says, watching the exchange and recognizing the straining veins in Baekhyun’s neck. He’s worn them too many times when dealing with Kris. “Why is he hiring help, again?”

“Because running RumbleMuffins single handedly when the business is so goddamn popular isn’t good for his health,” Sehun says loftily, watching as Baekhyun plasters on a grin that is cracking at the seams as two young girls approach him. Sungyeol flashes a mischievous grin from where he’s washing coffee cups. “I mean, he really could use the help. He’s been wearing really thin lately. What with Chanyeol and Jongin and-“ Sehun cuts himself off, biting his lip and frowning as Baekhyun fumbles with the coffee machine, muttering under his breath.

Luhan’s eyebrows and curiosity perk entirely on their own. “And?” he prompts. 

“Well, Joonmyun has been coming in,” Sehun say quickly and Luhan feels his stomach drop. 

“Oh,” Luhan says and his throat tightens as he looks back at the napkin he’s absently started shredding. He clears his throat. “Does-“ he clears his throat again. “Does Joonmyun usually not visit RumbleMuffins? I thought he and Baekhyun were friends.”

“Well, they used to be close,” Sehun says and sits back, his voice disconnected slightly. “But then Joonmyun got wrapped up in Planet Records and Baekhyun started RumbleMuffins and they kind of just got wrapped up in their work. I mean, Baekhyun less than Joonmyun, but-“ Sehun frowns and shuffles in his seat. “Anyway, he’s dropped by a few times and I know that he’s been talking with Baekhyun because Baekhyun just looks more haggard than ever.”

“He did once say that everyone comes to him, didn’t he?” Luhan comments, watching as Sehun licks his lips five times in sequence, eyes flitting about the café. 

“It’s his eternal punishment, I guess,” Sehun says. “Baek probably just has really shitty karma, or something.” Luhan snorts into the table. 

“Please order something so I can distract myself from not ripping out Sungyeol’s throat,” Baekhyun hisses as he passes their table, frowning and stiff as he goes to deliver drinks to one of the forts. 

“Baekhyun, you seriously need to stop these homicidal thoughts,” Sehun says, smiling piteously at Baekhyun as he returns from dropping off the drinks. 

“I can’t,” Baekhyun snaps. “I swear to God he keeps goading me. It’s like he has a death wish.”

“Maybe he’s teasing you because he likes you,” Luhan suggests with a pointed look at Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun looks like Luhan just punched him in the ribs instead of made a polite suggestion. “Excuse me while I claw out my eyes,” he says. “Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte?”

“Just a cappuccino,” Luhan says, smiling apologetically at Baekhyun. “And I was only joking. He’s not bad looking though.”

“Not my type,” Baekhyun sighs, barely glancing as Sungyeol drops something loudly into the sink. 

“Then what is your type?” Sehun asks, leaning forward and frowning slightly. “You always said you liked them tall and amusing.”

“He’s not amusing, he’s satanic,” Baekhyun says heavily. “Milk Tea?”

“How do you always know?” Sehun shakes his head at Baekhyun, smiling.

“Because I care about you too damn much,” Baekhyun says, ruffling Sehun’s hair with an affectionate smile. “Please stop me if it looks like I’m about to stab him.”

“With what?” Luhan asks, frowning at Baekhyun’s retreating back. 

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun calls back, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been known to get extremely creative.”

“Well, he did beat Kris to the floor with a pillow,” Luhan comments, turning back to Sehun. 

“I still wish I had been there for that,” Sehun says, turning and smiling. “Goddamn Jongin and his amazingly lucky tim…”

Sehun trails off, eyes widening at something over Luhan’s shoulder and Luhan frowns slightly, before turning in his seat and feeling his mouth go dry. Joonmyun doesn't even look around as he walks in, eyes on the floor before raising to the bar and Baekhyun, who is standing behind with his mouth slightly open. Joonmyun leans against the counter and sighs. “Drown me in coffee?”

Baekhyun’s eyes flash briefly to Sehun and Luhan as they sit relatively frozen, before flitting back to Joonmyun. “Only if you agree to knock me out after and sign a waver saying it was eunthenasia.”

“Deal,” Joonmyun says, tapping the bar counter and leaning back. He turns and looks at Sungyeol, who is humming to himself and smiling as he stacks wet mugs to dry. “New trainee?”

“I may kill him before the end of the day,” Baekhyun says as he fiddles with coffee pots, his eyes flashing up to look at Sehun and Luhan a few times before he smiles at Joonmyun. Luhan carefully drags his phone out of his pocket and unlocks it, trying to pull up the speed dial. 

“Your list of homicides just keeps growing,” Joonmyun says with a faint smile. Luhan glances down and see he has successfully opened up Temple Run and not his contact lists. Damnit. 

“You’ll see wanted posters soon,” Baekhyun says, flashing a tight smile at Joonmyun. Joonmyun seems to finally register the odd tension radiating off of Baekhyun and turns slightly, looking into the café, and freezing. “Then there’s that,” Baekhyun says under his breath and moves away from the counter to drag Sungyeol way from where he’s trying to juggle coffee mugs. Luhan successfully manages to open his contact list.

Joonmyun just stares for a moment as Sehun looks determinately at the tabletop. Finally Joonmyun clears his throat and seems to unfreeze, straightening against the bar. “Um, hi,” he says and Luhan desperately hopes his frantically typed ‘SOS’ reaches Minseok when Minseok isn’t doing anything constructive. He can never count on Yixing to pick up his phone. 

“Hi,” Luhan gets past his teeth and tries to smile without cracking his face into a million pieces. His stomach writhes. 

“Um, sorry, I didn’t think-” Joonmyun cuts himself off, glancing over at Sehun and then back at Luhan. “How are you?”

Luhan fidgets horribly with his phone, trying to keep it hidden under the table as unmistakable panic claws up his throat. “I’m okay,” Luhan says truthfully, because he is neither good nor bad. He is, however, on the verge of bolting from the café. Because he just apologized to Sehun this morning and he really doesn’t need more awkward situations today. He grips his phone and prays Minseok will call. “You?” Luhan bites his tongue as soon as he says the words.

Joonmyun smiles faintly, coughing a little. “I’m okay,” he says and Sehun chances a look at the elder. “Did you finally get those edits done for your thesis?” 

Sehun jerks slightly, fidgeting intensely. “Um, yeah,” Sehun says and licks his lips, pointedly not looking at Luhan. “My professor gave it back to me with the final edits yesterday afternoon.”

Joonmyun nods at him, offering a smile. “That’s good then,” he says before pursing his lips.

 _MAXSTEP! COME ON COME ON!_ suddenly blares from Luhan’s phone along with a lot of crackly bass and he almost flies out of his chair, half dropping his phone. Sehun and Joonmyun and Baekhyun all turn to look at him. Sungyeol takes the moment of opportunity to whip Baekhyun in the ass with a rolled up towel, eliciting a shriek from the head barista.

Luhan fumbles with his phone, looking down unnecessarily and seeing Minseok’s name flashing on the screen as it continues to blare about the café. “Um, sorry, could you excuse me?” he says, smiling guiltily at Sehun and Joonmyun, who nod, before swiping the answer bar and pressing the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Are you being attacked or something?” Minseok asks immediately. “You never _SOS_ me unless it’s something really fucked up.”

“Are you serious? No, of course, I’ll be right over!” Luhan says in absolute concern, his face creasing in fake worry and he internally pats himself on his acting skills. He makes a lot of bowing motions to Sehun and Joonmyun before practically sprinting from the café. 

“Awkward situation?” Minseok asks, his voice amused. 

“No, you don’t need to call the police, I’ll be right there, calm down,” Luhan says into the phone as he pushes open the door and practically throws himself down the short stairwell. 

“Wow, that bad, huh?” Minseok ponders over the phone. “I assume you’re coming over?”

Luhan sighs, finally seeing the distance he has put between himself and the café as acceptable. “I was out with Sehun at RumbleMuffins and Joonmyun showed up and Holy Fuck awkward,” Luhan says, trying to calm his racing pulse. “Yes, I’m coming over. I may be having a heart attack.”

“If you die on the way over, I’m not held responsible,” Minseok says before hanging up and Luhan hails a cab. 

“So, I assume things got cleared up with Sehun then?” Minseok says, shoving a cup of hot chocolate into Luhan’s hands. 

“For the most part, yes,” Luhan says, sighing as he wraps his hands around the warm beverage. 

“So he knows you broke up with Joonmyun for him?” Minseok continues, shooting Luhan a look. 

Luhan frowns up at Minseok. “No,” he says and sighs. “He knows that I broke up with Joonmyun because it wasn’t working and I didn’t return his affections. I can’t tell Sehun I broke up with Joonmyun for him.”

“Why not?” Minseok asks, frowning. “That would certainly make your life easier.”

“Because Sehun already thinks I tried to use him as a rebound,” Luhan fires back and scowls at his hot chocolate. “I can’t just go and tell him I half dated Joonmyun because I was suppressing my pedo feelings for him instead. And Sehun is so _young_. It’s just, I can’t-“

“Would you stop!” Minseok snaps, putting down his own hot chocolate rather forcefully. “Sehun is not drastically younger than you!”

“Six years!” Luhan protests and Minseok glares. 

“Yixing is dating and fucking Jongin and that’s basically the same thing as you dating Sehun!” Minseok half yells at Luhan and Luhan freezes. He hadn’t even thought of that. “Sure, you’re a little over a year older than Yixing, but they’re totally fine dating and being obnoxious as sin about it, so would you stop thinking of Sehun as jail bait? He’s not. He’s totally legal and can choose if he wants to date someone who is two years, six years, or ten years older than him. Fuck, I’ve dated girls almost eight years younger than me!”

“You dirty old man,” Luhan remarks smirking and Minseok kicks him under his table. 

“My point is, you need to stop thinking about this as if it’s impossible,” Minseok says, leaning back in his chair and fixing Luhan with a look. “Dating isn’t science, it’s emotions. And you’re acting like everything has to be practical and missing the big picture.”

“Which is?” Luhan asks, raising his eyebrows and fidgeting with his mug. 

“You like Sehun and he, if you give him the chance to respond, might just like you back,” Minseok says and spins his mug between his hands. 

“I can’t just ask him out like that,” Luhan says, frowning at his friend. 

“No, you can’t,” Minseok agrees, nodding slightly. “You have to explain to him why you’re such an asshat first.” 

“Hey,” Luhan says, kicking under the table and pouting. “I thought I came here for comfort.”

“You came here because you are running away from your mess and I’m the amazing logical person in your life,” Minseok. “Jesus, why do I know so many gay people?” he remarks absently to himself under his breath and earns a smirk from Luhan, who hides it in a sip of hot chocolate. 

“You love all your gay boyfriends,” Luhan says into his drink. 

“I am eternally suffering,” Minseok says, rolling his eyes. “It’s a miracle I get as many dates as I do.”

“Especially with that face,” Luhan adds, nodding and laughing when Minseok throws a handful of nuts from the bowl he always keeps on his table at Luhan. 

“Tell Sehun the truth,” Minseok says when he and Luhan have calmed down enough to have normal conversation again.

Luhan frowns slightly into his hot chocolate. “What if it doesn’t work?” he asks, voice soft. 

“Then you move on,” Minseok says, shrugging. “You won’t know until you try, and time doesn’t wait for you forever.”

-


	6. Sehun 3

Sehun 3

Sehun doesn’t know why Luhan shows up at his apartment and looks like he’s about to have a nervous breakdown. Really, there could be a large number of reasons as to why Luhan essentially collapses into Sehun and clings to him, almost shaking, burying himself in Sehun’s arms and saying nothing. 

“Hey,” Sehun says softly, feeling his heart beat pound as Luhan presses closer and he wraps his arms around the older man without a second though, pulling him closer. “Rough day?” It’s a very vague question, but Sehun can’t really think of anything better to ask that isn’t too invasive. Luhan nods into his neck and sighs. Sehun doesn’t ask, doesn’t press anymore, just tightens his arms around Luhan, pulling him a little more securely to his chest and letting his face fall to rest in Luhan’s styled hair. It smells like pomegranate and mint and hairspray. Sehun doesn’t really care. 

Luhan’s fist grips slightly in Sehun’s tee shirt and he shifts slightly, easing into Sehun as he says in a muffle voice “Like you can’t even imagine,” before seeming to relax, sighing again as he pulls away and finally opens his eyes to look at Sehun. His eyes are weary and Sehun wants to gently brush his fingers along the tired lines of Luhan’s face, smooth away the stress and exhaustion and just hold so nothing will break. “Um, this is a bit delayed, but do you mind if I come in for a while?”

Sehun doesn’t ask, feeling like this is a barrier he doesn’t have permission to cross or poke at or touch, especially since Luhan looks like he’s just on the edge of snapping and cracking at his seams. Which is why, as they lie upside down on Sehun’s couch, staring at each other and Sehun’s heart sings and hurts from how Luhan looks simultaneously young and ancient lying next to him, he doesn’t hesitate for a second to pull Luhan into himself as the first tears slip from Luhan’s usually sparkling eyes. 

Sehun doesn't ask, because he’s afraid if he does, Luhan wont tell him, and Sehun doesn’t want there to be secrets. He doesn’t want there to be barriers or the writhing of a conscience and guilt in his stomach at having Luhan curled into him, hiding his face in Sehun’s chest and shaking slightly because technically Luhan is seeing another man. 

And Sehun doesn’t actually have the permission to do this. To hold Luhan close and bury his nose in the other’s hair, messing it up beyond recognition. To feel Luhan’s fingers tightening in his shirt and to card his fingers through the stiffly styled hair, breaking through hairspray and freeing stiff strands. 

Because Sehun doesn't have Luhan even if he wants him more than anything in the world right at this moment. 

But Sehun is selfish, and so now, just this once, he’ll let himself imagine that he does have the man curled in his arms, fingers tightly wound into his top and with breaths slowly evening out. Sehun is selfish, and he pretends, just for tonight, that it’s okay to maybe sort of like the person curled into him that makes the world shine just a little more brightly. 

Sehun wakes up the next morning and his first thought is that no one should ever be as adorable as Luhan in the morning. “Awake?” he asks as Luhan burrows into his sternum and snuffles slightly. 

“No,” Luhan grates out from somewhere near Sehun’s armpit and Sehun smiles as he, instead of leaving his created reality, stays and wraps his arms closer to Luhan. After about ten minutes of just lying in Sehun’s fantasy of a dream, Luhan finally shifts and pulls away, half sitting up as he blinks blearily at Sehun, face scrunching in dissatisfaction. “What time is it?”

“No idea,” Sehun says, running a hand over his face and wincing as the taste of unbrushed teeth rakes over his tongue. “Before noon?” Luhan snorts and rolls off the couch and too the floor with a loud ‘oof’. Sehun smiles and snorts out a laugh, looking over the edge of the couch to Luhan, who is lying splayed awkwardly on Sehun’s carpet, face first into the floor. “Comfy?”

“Absolutely,” Luhan says to Sehun’s carpet. “I should invest in a Persian rug. Or just steal yours.”

“Hey, this was my grandmothers,” Sehun says, prodding Luhan in the back and earning nothing of a response. He sighs and pushes himself off the couch, feeling stiff but extremely content. Considering he did just spend the entire night with Luhan curled around him though, that much isn’t entirely surprising. Sehun catches himself before he can smile too much like a drunk idiot and the name _Joonmyun_ brands itself across his brain. His mouth tastes terrible. “Are you hungry?”

“Hungry as a hippo,” Luhan says into the floor, barely shifting as Sehun steps over him. 

“They’re always hungry,” Sehun says, laughing slightly as he prods Luhan with his foot. “Any requests for breakfast?” 

Luhan jerks up to look at Sehun, hair everywhere and eyes wide. “Are you cooking me breakfast?”

“I could make you starve,” Sehun says, grinning as he scratches at the back of his head. Luhan frowns slightly and pushes himself back to sit on the floor. 

“I don’t like starving,” Luhan tells Sehun and rubs at the side of his face, trying to remove some of the sleep. 

“No one likes starving,” Sehun says pointedly as he wanders off to the kitchen. “Nice hair, by the way!” 

Sehun only has to wait a minute before he hears a loud squawk from the direction of his bathroom and he laughs as he pulls a frying pan from the cabinet. He doesn’t laugh ten minutes later though as the eggs he’s trying to cook set themselves on fire in the pan and he tries to frantically find a pan lid to stop the inferno as Luhan laughs himself silly and the smoke alarm blares. 

They end up eating _Eggo_ waffles from the freezer and Sehun flicks small pieces of waffle at Luhan as the older grins at him and snorts into his breakfast. Sehun can’t stop himself from smiling into his maple syrup as Luhan’s laugh makes his chest hurt in happiness. 

_Joonmyun_ continues to flash across Sehun’s brain and he tries his best to both ignore and acknowledge it. He doesn't do a very good job until Luhan finally leaves around eleven and Sehun stares at his apartment door and the full impact of Luhan’s overwhelming presence hits Sehun hard and he swallows thickly. 

“Seriously, you need to stop having feelings,” Baekhyun grinds out at him as Sehun sits, knees against his chest, on his living room floor, back pressed to the couch and fingers tugging at the hem of his jeans. “Or find someone else to go to them with.”

“I can’t talk to Kyungsoo. He’ll just look at me in sympathy and try to cook me food,” Sehun sighs into his phone and lets his head fall back. “Baekhyun, this shouldn’t be happening. I’m not – I’m not supposed to-“

“Have feelings? Yeah, I know, that’s everyone else’s job,” Baekhyun says for him and sighs into the phone. “You’re lucky it’s been quiet today and I am answering my phone.”

“You’re a God,” Sehun drawls into his phone, fraying his pants cuff. “How is the new intern?”

“Well, he tries hard,” Baekhyun sighs into the phone. “I mean, really, this kid is trying, like, really trying, but so far all he’s mastered is smiling appropriately at the customers.”

“That’s it?” Sehun asks, sitting up slightly. 

“I honestly think he may be brain dead,” Baekhyun says heavily and Sehun can imagine him running a hand over his face tiredly. “Why don’t you just leave Planet Records and come work for me? You are in here often enough anyway.”

“Because that’d be fucking weird,” Sehun points out. “Besides, Baek, do you really want me working for you?”

“You’re right,” Baekhyun says. “I’d rather have brain-dead Jongup who can’t figure out the cash register than your snarky ass scaring all my customers away. At least Jongup has mastered being adorable.”

“I’m adorable,” Sehun protests into the phone. 

“Only when you aren’t spewing feelings at me,” Baekhyun grumbles. _“JONGUP, NO! WE DO NOT PUT THAT IN THE MICROWAVE!”_ has Sehun jerking the phone away from his ear. 

“Maybe I should come work for you,” Sehun suggests, and smirks as Baekhyun sighs at him. “That way I wouldn’t have to pay to tell you about my problems.”

“You tell me your problems regardless of whether you’re paying me patronage or not,” Baekhyun points out. “Like now.”

“Baekhyun, seriously, what-“

“You could be stranded in a desert surrounded by vindictive scorpions!” Baekhyun shoots at him. “Calm the fuck down and be more normal about this. Jongup-!”

“How do I be more normal about this?” Sehun asks helplessly. 

“I don’t know! Tell Luhan you like his face and he makes you feel euphoric!” Baekhyun says in a slightly panicked voice. “Jongup! No! We do not put the coffee grinds in the- _No_!”

The line disconnects before Sehun can really ask Baekhyun what he had called about in the first place. Which was how the hell he is supposed to tell Luhan he probably likes him when Luhan is clearly dating Joonmyun. And when Joonmyun is so clearly head over heels for Luhan it’s beyond nauseating. 

Sehun shows up at the top floor of Planet Records on Monday with his usual deliveries of coffee and is met with the concerned face of Kyungsoo directed at Joonmyun’s closed door. Sehun frowns, holding his coffees awkwardly and wondering what might have caused the head secretary to look so emotionally invested. 

“Is something wrong with Suho?” Sehun asks, frowning as he approaches Kyungsoo’s desk. 

Kyungsoo sighs, eyes still on the door and fumbles with the papers at his desk. “I don’t know, but I know that-“

Joonmyun’s office door opens and Joonmyun walks out, looking like he hasn’t slept in days and dragging his feet. Sehun just watches in slight shock as Joonmyun doesn’t really look at him, instead taking the coffee in Sehun’s stunned hand and muttering a slight word of thanks before shuffling back into his office. The door closes and Sehun turns to look at Kyungsoo, shocked expression still on his face, though his eyebrows have risen significantly. 

“What was that?” Sehun asks. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

“And you’ve seen him a lot more than I ever have,” Kyungsoo points out, still frowning in concern at the door Joonmyun disappeared behind. He sighs. “From what I can gather, he and Luhan are having problems.”

“Problems?” Sehun repeats, his stomach giving a very conflicted surge in his belly. It’s horrible that hearing that Luhan and Joonmyun may be having problems should elicit such a joyous feeling in him when he should be concerned. They’re dating, and Joonmyun is so happy, and Luhan…

Selfish Sehun really shouldn’t be selfish. 

“Why do you look so confused?” Jongin asks as Sehun walks into the recording department feeling dazed and confused and complicated. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be in marketing?” Jonghyun asks from under the soundboard table where he’s rearranging wires. 

“Joonmyun and Luhan are having problems,” Sehun says, frowning as the words are numb on his tongue. “That’s bad right?”

Jongin gives him a perplexed look as Chanyeol actually sits up from where he’s been half lying in his chair. “Joonmyun is having relationship issues?”

“Are you having feelings again?” Jongin asks and his eyebrows raise. 

“Sehun has feelings?” Jonghyun says from under the sound equipment, jerking and slamming his head against the table he’s under. “FUCK!”

“I do actually possess an emotional range,” Sehun says, frowning at Jonghyun. 

“What kind of problems?” Chanyeol asks, his face crunching as he frowns. 

“Are you finally admitting you like Luhan?” Jongin asks, eyes developing a hopeful shine. 

“Sehun likes Joonmyun’s boyfriend?” Chanyeol jerks to look at Jongin in surprise. 

“Sehun likes boys!?” Jonghyun blurts out before cracking his head again. “Ow! Jesus fuck!”

“Guys!” Sehun shouts, feeling a bit overwhelmed at all the questions firing around him and rocketing in his own mind and the blatant lack of answers. 

“Ask him out,” Jongin immediately fires at Sehun, leaning forward and grinning encouragingly. 

“Since when did you like guys?” Jonghyun throws out, finally pulling himself from under the sound table and rubbing his head, wincing. 

“Sehun, are you a home wrecker?” Chanyeol asks him, face aghast.

 _“Date! Date! Do the date thing!”_ Jongin says, pumping a fist in enthusiasm.

“You’re not helping right now!” Sehun says, feeling slightly panicked as his own emotions play hacky-sack with his insides. 

“What’s going on?” a new voice says and Sehun spins around to see the politely inquisitive face of Chen in the doorway. 

“Oh, thank Christ,” Sehun says, almost falling over himself. “You’re sane, right?”

Chen blinks at Sehun for a second before cocking an eyebrow. “Last time I checked.”

“I need someone sane,” Sehun says, and ignores the agitated huffs from Chanyeol and Jongin’s protesting ‘hey!’ behind him. 

Chen’s mouth quirks. “I’ll do my best?”

“I love you,” Sehun almost breathes out and grabs Chen by the arm, steering him from the recording department. 

“Since when did Sehun like guys?!” Jonghyun yells as Sehun pulls Chen down the hall. 

Chen stares at him over the café table in the break room, hot cup of coffee sitting in front of him as Sehun fidgets everywhere and nearly chews off his tongue in agitation. “Why are you having a panic attack?” Chen asks calmly, not touching his coffee as Sehun keeps making jerking motions to take his own before pulling his hand back. 

“I’m not having a panic attack,” Sehun says, voice too fast. “Why would I be having a panic attack. No one is having a panic attack. What’s a panic attack?”

He presses his lips together hard as Chen raises his eyebrows significantly. “Okay, so I am having a panic attack.”

“Good, now that you’ve admitted it, let’s move on,” Chen says, smiling slightly. 

“Um, well-“

“Is this about Luhan?” Chen asks, cutting off Sehun before Sehun can even get a word out. 

“What?” Sehun asks, startled and feeling his cheeks flush automatically. “How did you-?”

“Sehun, you gave him a welcome basket when he moved in, then baked him a cake, which tasted terrible, by the way.” Chen smiles in apology as Sehun’s hands skitter like spiders over the edge of the table. “And you basically glow whenever his name is so much as mentioned. Someone just has to say ‘Luhan’ and it’s like Christmas came early.”

“So what you’re telling me is-“ Sehun cuts himself off and tries to even his breathing. 

“What I’m telling you is, yes, you like Luhan,” Chen says, nodding at Sehun. “And probably more than a lot.”

“But that’s bad,” Sehun says slowly. 

“Why?” Chen asks, frowning slightly. 

“Because Luhan and Joonmyun are dating,” Sehun says, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and biting hard. 

“And that means you can’t be in love with Luhan?” Chen asks, raising an eyebrow. 

Sehun blanches. “I’m not in lo-“

“You’re a puppy around him,” Chen says flatly but grins none the less. “You looked like someone had stolen all your childhood when he was being talked up by Joonmyun at the housewarming. You’re more obvious than an elephant.”

“Thanks,” Sehun grumbles out, slouching in his chair. “I’m so glad to know other people can understand my emotions better than me.”

“Someone has to,” Chen points out, shrugging. 

“So what do I do?” Sehun asks, feeling his chest both constrict and expand at the revelation of actually possessing feelings and how futile this situation seems to be. 

“Well, that depends on the situation,” Chen says, sighing. “Does Luhan like you back?”

“Luhan is dating Joonmyun,” Sehun says, frowning. 

“And?” Chen says, giving Sehun a look he can’t really understand. “Doesn’t negate the question. Does Luhan like you back?”

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Sehun says, his stomach dropping uncomfortably.

“Then you’re clearly an idiot,” Chen says, sitting back and finally picking up his coffee and taking a sip. Sehun frowns. 

Sehun spends the rest of the day ignoring Chanyeol’s wide variety of looks, Jonghyun’s random questions where he tries to get Sehun to say if he is gay or not, and being extremely productive. Even Yesung can’t do anything sardonic when he drops off the afternoon reports and projects and Sehun just takes them without a word. Jonghyun later comments that Yesung actually made a different facial expression than scowl but Sehun ignores him. 

Instead, Sehun turns his conversation with Chen over and over in his head along with the many conversations he’s had with Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, and even Jongin. Though he tries not to think too hard about Jongin’s advice, because usually it just consisted of ‘date things’ and nothing really useful beyond that. 

Sehun sits through his evening lecture without really listening, instead frowning off into space as Zelo continuously nudges him in the ribs to check if he’s alive. 

“You okay?” Zelo asks on Wednesday after their psychology lecture, nudging into Sehun as they leave the auditorium. 

“Fine,” Sehun says absently, his phone heavy in his pocket. Luhan has been kind of distant the whole week. Sure, they got bubble tea on Monday and Sehun did go over and mooch off of him for dinner last night, but Luhan has been acting, well, odd.

“Are you sure?” Zelo asks, raising blue eyebrows. 

Sehun doesn’t answer, just flashes his classmate a grin before turning to go home. 

On Thursday, Sehun is almost back to normal. Not because he’s forgotten sanity and the current oddness that seems to be seeping around him steadily, but because he’s made a decision. 

“I’m telling Luhan this weekend,” Sehun tells Chen as Chen stops by to get details on his album tracks, causing the elder to pause. 

“Really?” Chen asks, looking up at Sehun with a raised eyebrow. 

Sehun’s smile falters slightly. “Yes?”

Chen smiles at him. “Good luck.”

Sehun doesn’t entirely feel reassured. He mulls his decision over most of the day, going between frowning and smiling and Kyungsoo stops him at lunch and asks him if he’s suddenly become unstable. 

Joonmyun smiles as Sehun drops off his coffee, and though it looks tired, it makes Sehun’s insides clench. 

Maybe Joonmyun and Luhan are getting over their problems. 

Maybe Joonmyun and Luhan are totally okay, and Sehun is just being selfish and messing things up.

Maybe Joonmyun knows. 

Sehun freezes as this thought occurs to him on the bus home and he nearly falls over when the vehicle stops abruptly at his street. Sehun jumps off the bus and turns immediately down the street opposite his house, digging his phone from his pocket.

“What if it doesn’t work?” Sehun bursts into the phone as soon as Chen picks up and Sehun pushes into the pizza parlor.

“What result are you looking for?” Chen asks, not skipping a beat. 

Sehun pauses, frowning as the girl with a giant pizza hat looks at him in mild confusion and apprehension. Sehun points vigorously at the pizza combo and she nods, shooting him a weird look. “I don’t know?” Sehun admits and bits his lip.

“You should kind of figure that out,” Chen says. “Do you want to be the thing that breaks up Luhan and Suho? Can you take it if Luhan rejects you?”

Sehun chews his lip until it almost bleeds. “I don’t know,” he chokes into the phone and Chen sighs. 

“You need to think about that first,” Chen tells him. 

“Fuck you and your practicality,” Sehun says, shoving a wad of cash at the pizza girl, who takes it like it’s a bomb. “Cola.”

“What?” Chen asks.

“I’m talking to the pizza chick,” Sehun says, frowning at the cash register. 

_‘The pizza chick’_ frowns as she opens the register and takes out Sehun’s change. “Name tags aren’t just for kicks, you know,” she grumbles under her breath. 

Sehun rolls his eyes. “Sorry,” he says, cocking his head at her before leaning forward and reading her name tag. “I was telling _Ang_ my drink order.”

“Aren't you proper,” Chen drawls at him as the cashier looks as if hiding her mortification is the biggest task of her life. 

Sehun finally goes home after glaring at the wall of the pizza parlor in contemplative thought until close to ten at night. He’s halfway up the street before he recognizes Luhan’s familiar back a few meters in front of him. And Luhan basically looks like he’s about to fall over. “Luhan?” Sehun calls and gets no response. “Luhan?” Sehun calls again, feeling slight worry crawl up his chest and settling in the back of his mouth. Sehun speeds up his steps so he’s almost directly behind Luhan. “Luhan?!”

Luhan jerks around violently, body swaying dangerously before his eyes find Sehun and widen in recognition. They’re extremely unfocused and Sehun’s heart clenches. 

“That is correct!” Luhan says way too loudly and points dramatically at Sehun, grinning broadly. “My name is Luhan and not Bambi and no one calls me Xiao Lu because this isn’t China anymore.” His words are slightly slurred and he frowns slightly as he finishes, face crinkling in a pout. 

Sehun’s throat feels dry. “Are you okay?” Sehun asks, resisting reaching out and holding Luhan still as the older sways slightly where he stands. 

“Absolutely not,” Luhan slurs out, making a very wide hand gesture and nearly hitting Sehun in the chest as he stumbles forward slightly. “I am all sorts of horrible. Give me a hug.”

And without warning Luhan collapses against Sehun, latching his arms around Sehun’s unsuspecting torso and burying his face into Sehun’s neck firmly. Sehun’s heart leaps into his throat as Luhan basically tries to meld himself to him. Luhan breaths deeply against his neck and Sehun feels his skin go hot and cold at the same time. Sehun tries to breathe normally. “Luhan, are you-“

Luhan’s loud hum cuts Sehun off before he can finish and sends a hot ball of something straight to the pit of his stomach as Luhan presses further into Sehun and sags his whole weight against the taller. “You’re comfy,” Luhan mumbles into Sehun’s shirt and Sehun can feel his mouth move through his tee. He squeezes around Sehun’s chest and makes a weird sort of snuffling sound. “I like you.”

Sehun’s eyes are wide as he looks down at Luhan’s clearly intoxicated form, wrapped around him and making Sehun’s heart pummel against his rib cage. Sehun really hopes that Luhan is maybe to drunk to notice the thumping of his heartbeat because Sehun is pretty sure the entire neighborhood can probably hear it. “Um,” Sehun manages, trying to keep his voice calm. Luhan smells like a bar. “I like you, too?” Sehun tries out and wraps his arms around Luhan tentatively, trying to keep the older standing instead of slipping to the ground. And because, really, Sehun is selfish. 

“Good,” Luhan says definitely. “Because I’m amazing and you should like me.”

Sehun snorts despite himself and instinctively brings a hand to smooth down the hair sticking up at the back of Luhan’s head, earning him a sigh. “So modest,” Sehun says, unable to keep the affection from his voice and trying to bite it back. But too late. 

Luhan pulls back, pouting a frown up at Sehun and Sehun knows he’s caught. He tries to freeze his pounding heart for the sure to come rejection and- “You’re not fair,” Luhan says, frowning heavily. “Stop it.”

Sehun blinks, feeling his own face frown as Luhan has difficultly staring correctly. “Stop what?” he asks, the confusion blocking out some of the panic. 

“That!” Luhan says and frowns even more, stumbling slightly and thus pressing himself more against Sehun, causing them both to stumble slightly. “Stop!”

Sehun has no idea what Luhan is talking about. All he knows is Luhan is mad about something and Sehun is trying to regulate his breathing and emotions and Luhan is really drunk. “What! What am I doing?”

“Being so goddamn young!” Luhan snaps out and Sehun has barely a moment of feeling horribly confused before Luhan shoves his face into Sehun’s neck and sends heat straight to the center of Sehun’s chest where it wreaks havoc with the majority of his systems. “You’re not fair.”

“What do you mean I’m young?” Sehun gets out as his heart pounds in the back of his throat, feeling Luhan’s nose pressed against his throat and shivering slightly. 

“You’re young and nice and probably innocent and that’s really unfair,” Luhan pouts into his neck, lips grazing his skin. Sehun has no idea how to interpret that. “You have really nice collarbones.”

Sehun feels something begin to lodge up his ribcage. Something is wrong. Well, something besides Luhan being fucking wasted. “Um, thanks?” Sehun says before taking a breath. “Luhan are you-“ but he never gets to ask, because Luhan suddenly nuzzles, _nuzzles_ , into Sehun’s neck and Sehun’s brain goes two very different places at once. 

The first half goes into _oh my god feelings and yes and that is good Luhan_ while the other suddenly screams at him _no Luhan is dating Joonmyun and this is Not Normal_. With blood feeling too much like flaming ice in his veins, Sehun grabs Luhan by the shoulders and jerks the older away from him, pushing Luhan up and at arms length so he can think and Luhan can stop fucking nuzzling him and making this really goddamn hard. “Luhan , what are you doing?” Sehun asks, looking at Luhan closely as Luhan’s head lolls slightly on his shoulder. “Were you just-“ Sehun bites his lip as Luhan’s eyes finally focus on him. They’re dark. “Were you just nuzzling me?” Sehun asks and feels his heart throb.

“Yes,” Luhan admits bluntly before completely sagging in Sehun’s grip, causing Sehun to stumble slightly and try to keep Luhan upright as his mind screams at him a million different things. One thing in particular is loudest though. “Stop being young.”

Luhan is dating Joonmyun. Luhan is dating Joonmyun. _Luhan is dating Joonmyun and has just given Sehun bedroom eyes and nuzzled into him._

“You’re dating Joonmyun,” Sehun says, scowling as he tries to ignore the pain that admission strikes in his chest. 

“No,” Luhan negates almost immediately, shaking his head a little too violently and teetering. “I was dating Joonmyun. I broke up with him on Saturday.”

Sehun’s entire body goes cold. He doesn't know why, but it does as Luhan’s word slide like ice over his skin. They’re so casual, as if…

As if Luhan just doesn’t even care. 

“You broke up with Joonmyun? Why?” Sehun’s voice seems distant in his own ears as he watches Luhan carefully, holding him steady and waiting for his answer with shallow breaths.

Luhan snorts and his eyes are lazy as they look at Sehun. “Because is was bad,” he says easily, and Sehun’s entire chest constricts. Luhan grins at him, half bringing up his arms to reach towards Sehun. “Come back, you’re warm.”

Sehun’s entire body goes cold. _‘No’_ is on blaring repeat through his brain as his heart screams confusing things at him all over again. Luhan broke up with Joonmyun on Saturday, and then came and basically latched onto Sehun and is now… Is now acting as if nothing mattered and is drunk and… 

Unexplained hurt and anger flare in Sehun’s chest as he pulls away from Luhan swiftly, stepping back. “Is that all I am?” he asks and his voice hurts in his throat. “You break up with Joonmyun and just expect that I’ll…” Sehun chokes on the words. “That I’m…” Sehun can’t form the correct words. Luhan isn’t dating Joonmyun. That’s kind of what he wanted. Except…

Not like this. 

Luhan stills, seeming to realize he’s said something to upset Sehun. “Sehun, you-“ Luhan slurs out, a hand rising to Sehun.

_Not like this._

“I’m not some sort of fucking rebound,” Sehun snaps out, feeling burning behind his eyes and in the back of his throat. 

_Rebound. Rebound. Rebound._

“Sehun, that’s not-“ Luhan starts again but his words slur as he takes a step towards Sehun and Sehun flinches back. _REBOUND REBOUND REBOUND._ “Sehun!” Luhan’s mouth can’t quite say his name properly. 

“No,” Sehun bites out and tries to stop the cracking feeling in his chest. Not like this. It’s not supposed to be like this. Sehun isn’t supposed to be the last resort as Luhan jumps back from a relationship. Sehun is supposed to be the relationship. Sehun is the selfish one. 

_Sehun is the selfish one._

“I’m not doing this,” Sehun says, hating himself as much as the words coming out of his mouth. _You are selfish. I am selfish._ “I can't believe you even thought of doing this! I thought-“ _I thought I was the selfish one._ “I thought I-“ 

_You can’t be the selfish one._

_It hurts too much._

Sehun doesn’t look at Luhan’s expression as he turns and runs, his heart pounding in his throat as tears spill unbidden down his face and he wipes at them angrily. 

_It hurts too much._

Sehun lies on his couch, upside down and frowning at his carpet, ignoring the way his chest hurts as the dried lines of his tears stick against his skin. He doesn’t make it to his bed that night and he ignores the buzzing of his phone as it goes off. 

Four times. 

_I’m is the selfish one. It hurts too much when I’m not._

Sehun calls Joonmyun the next day, having woken up half on his floor and half on the couch and feeling like his neck will never be normal again and gets Kyungsoo’s concerned voice, asking if he’s dead or dying or possibly abducted because he’s not here delivering coffee and stealing candy. Sehun asks for a rest day to work on his thesis. Kyungsoo asks if Sehun needs him to come by. Sehun tells him to mother Jongin. Kyungsoo tells Sehun Jongin’s not the only one who needs support. 

Sehun lies and says he needs his Professors approval and really needs to catch up on work. It doesn’t matter that Sehun finished his thesis on Wednesday and turned it in. Kyungsoo sounds skeptical as he connects Sehun to Joonmyun, who smiles through the phone and Sehun wonders how fake that smile is today. 

_Joonmyun._

_“Because it was bad.”_

Sehun burns his breakfast and lunch and resorts to eating cereal bars and yogurt all day as he alternates between editing his dissertation speech, lying upside down on the couch, and glaring at his phone, images of Luhan cropping up unbidden everywhere. 

Luhan doesn’t call. Instead Sehun glares at his phone for half of the day and watches it balefully the other half, finally ending up just holding it in front of himself around dinner time as he half lies on the kitchen table. 

_I’m supposed to be the selfish one._

_“You’re not fair.”_

_You’re not supposed to be the selfish one._

_“You’re young and nice and probably innocent and that’s really unfair.”_

_It hurts too much when you’re not._

_AND I WAS LIKE BABY, BABY, BABY WHOOOO YEAH BABY BABY BABY OOOH~_ Sehun nearly drops his phone as he is started from his thoughts and jolts half off the table. Baekhyun’s name is flashing on the screen. 

After a moment, Sehun answers the call. “Hello?”

“I haven't heard from you for at least thirty-six hours, are you dead?” Baekhyun demands, voice strained. 

“Um, well, considering I answered my phone, no,” Sehun says and flops back onto the table. 

“Good,” Baekhyun says. “Now, what the fuck is wrong?”

“What makes you think something is wrong?” Sehun asks, frowning at his wallpaper. 

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun says agitatedly. “Lately everything is wrong with you. I’m being a good friend. So, what the fuck is wrong?”

Sehun blinks. “New barista driving you up a wall?”

“I am going to kill them all,” Baekhyun growls into his phone. 

“New guy?” Sehun raises his eyebrows. 

“Fucking false advertising face,” Baekhyun grumbles. “Out with it. Why do you sound like you’ve been run over.”

“I don’t sound like I’ve been run over,” Sehun points out. 

“You suck at lying,” Baekhyun grinds out. 

“Luhan came onto me last night,” Sehun blurts out and bites his lip.

“Congratulations, did you fuck?” Baekhyun snaps out and Sehun chokes on his spit. 

“What?” Sehun half shrieks as Baekhyun suddenly yelps on the other end. 

_“WOULD YOU STOP THAT! TOWELS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE USED THAT WAY!”_

Sehun blinks. “Did you just get whipped with a towel?” Sehun asks, pushing himself up slightly. 

“Luhan came onto you. Great, are you dating? Can we finally focus on my problems?” Baekhyun sounds vaguely on the verge of a mental breakdown. 

“I’m not a fucking rebound!” Sehun says into the phone, and the words burn in his throat, sound far too emotional as his heart clenches painfully in his chest.

There is silence. 

“Sehun,” Baekhyun says and his voice is suddenly quiet. “Why would you-“

“He broke up with Joonmyun on Saturday!” Sehun says as his throat hurts. “Saturday. And then shows up fucking wasted last night and latches onto me and _Baekhyun it isn’t not supposed to be like this.”_

“Sehun,” Baekhyun repeats and Sehun bites his lip, trying to even his breathing. “Sehun, you’re over reacting.” Sehun stops breathing. “Luhan was drunk and you have been over analyzing and denying everything for weeks and being confused and this was clearly just not supposed to happen.”

Sehun’s breath stutters to a start and then fails as his lungs try to cooperate. “Baekhyun,” Sehun says and then stops. 

“Shh, it’s okay,” Baekhyun says gently over the phone. “Wow, I honestly should have expected you to have as much of a break down as Chanyeol.”

“Did you just compare me to Chanyeol?” Sehun asks, pouting at the table. 

“When you go emotional, it’s fucked up,” Baekhyun says before sighing. “Go to sleep. Clear your head and stop thinking you’re a rebound. You’re not. This was probably just a huge misunderstanding. I imagine Luhan feels like an idiot right now, too.” A pause. “Has he called you?”

Sehun picks at the table. “No,” he pouts.

“Well, expect him to,” Baekhyun says. “Because he will. You two are like insane twins half the time. It’s worse than you and Jongin used to be before Jongin became physically attached to Yixing.”

“You’re a pal, Baek,” Sehun says, smiling faintly at the table. 

“Some day, _some day,_ it will be my turn for all this dramatic shit and all of you will hear about it and hate your lives,” Baekhyun says and Sehun snorts into the phone. 

“I’ll come by tomorrow so you don’t commit murder?” Sehun asks in the phone. 

“Please,” Baekhyun says, voice once more tired and strained. “Sleep well, Senshine.”

Sehun finally falls asleep at three in the morning after hours of staring at his wall and ceiling and windows and mulling things over in his head. 

Luhan was drunk. 

Luhan probably really wasn’t thinking. 

Sehun probably over reacted. 

Sehun hasn't really considered why Luhan really would have done what he did.

Sehun thinks that maybe, just maybe, there’s a good explanation for this.

_AND I WAS LIKE BABY, BABY, BABY, WOOOH YEAH BABY, BAB-_

“Fuck!” Sehun snaps out, slamming his hand around for his phone for what feels like the millionth time and finally locating it, shutting it to silent _again_ as whoever calls him refuses to give up. It’s far too early for Sehun to even think about consciousness. 

_AND I WAS LIKE BAB-_

“No, you weren’t!” Sehun yells at his phone, grabbing it and throwing himself from bed, shoving the device under his mattress before just falling half onto his bed with a groan. 

The sun is up. 

Sehun hates it. 

The birds are probably singing songs, too.

Sehun hates them also. 

Justin Bieber starts singing again, though it’s extremely muffled now and Sehun groans, hitting his bed a few times in aggravation before dragging his blanket and pillow from his bed and stomping towards the living room, scowling with his entire body. Without even breaking stride, Sehun collapses face first into his couch, groaning as he drops his pillow over his head and his limbs go everywhere. 

Fuck mornings. 

Somewhere, an obnoxious buzzer goes off. 

Sehun’s toes are cold as he drifts off to sleep again. He has a very strange dream in which he is chasing a herd of llamas in an astronaut suit while Baekhyun sits on his shoulder and shouts out commands in Spanish and every time the llamas open their mouths a weird buzzing sound comes out. Sehun wakes up when he falls off the couch and slams painfully into the floor. 

The weird buzzing sound is his doorbell. 

“Go away!” Sehun moans at his apartment, pouting deeply up at the ceiling before the buzzer starts ringing in quick succession, as if someone is pummeling it in their efforts to destroy Sehun’s chances of ever finding happiness again. Growling, Sehun stumbles to his feet and charges at the door, wrenching it open and half propelling himself out into the hallway, bellowing _“WHAT?!”_ as angrily as he can.

Luhan looks very guilty and startled holding donuts and bubble tea. 

Sehun blinks. Sehun registers the image in front of him. 

Sehun realizes he’s still wearing the most ridiculous pajamas he owns and his mouth drops open in horror and he flings himself back inside his apartment, slamming the door shut and scampering back to the living room, running into a wall at one point as one of his limbs is definitely asleep. He dives onto the couch and wraps himself up in his blanket, burying his face into the fabric and breathing heavily.

Talk about a wake up call. 

Call. 

Sehun groans into his blanket as he remembers how many times Justin Bieber went off his morning. Not his alarm. His ringtone. Sehun gives himself another few minutes of self pity before dragging himself from the couch and toting his bed things back to his room, pulling on proper pants and a worn sweatshirt. He then just stands in his room and wonders what he’s going to do. Sehun’s reflection looks back and has no good suggestions. He licks his lips in apprehension before opening his door and Luhan is still there, still looking guilty, and still holding donuts and bubble tea. Sehun narrows his eyes. 

He’s still angry. He’s still mostly kind of hurt. 

_Not like this._

“Hi,” Luhan says and looks horribly uncomfortable. “Um, can I come in and, um…” He trails off and it irks Sehun.

“Apologize?” Sehun snaps and Luhan flinches. Okay, so maybe he hadn’t meant to sound so- no, yes he had. 

“Yeah, that,” Luhan says, eyes shining guiltily as something that may be pink rises on his cheeks. “I brought you bubble tea and donuts.” He holds up the bags and Sehun’s eyebrows rise slightly, along with his stomach, but he hopes Luhan can’t detect that. 

Luhan has apparently been waiting for over an hour. Sehun deems that appropriate guilty feelings time and lets him in, shuffling down the hall, his left leg still slightly numb and trying to push down the nervous writhing in his gut. Luhan puts down his peace offerings and turns to Sehun, who has slouched against the wall because standing up is too much of a task. “I’m sorry,” Luhan says immediately and Sehun’s eyes widen. That was fast. “I’m sorry for what happened the other night. I was drunk and-“

Sehun’s still pissed. “That’s not an excuse,” Sehun snaps and Luhan looks lost. Looks lost and guilty and horrible and really annoyingly cute in his sweater and jeans and Sehun realizes he already forgives Luhan. He scowls anyway as Luhan apologizes and looks guilty and babbles. He tries the bubble tea. 

It’s warm. 

The donuts are good though. 

Luhan explains about Joonmyun and Sehun tries to push down the ridiculous bubble that pushes up his throat because he’s supposed to be swallowing donut, not feelings. Then Luhan practically runs into Sehun’s counter and looks so frantic that all of Sehun’s anger finally dissolves. 

Because Luhan is apologetic and fumbling and cute and looks really worried in his sweater and slightly flyaway hair. 

“It’s okay,” Sehun says and Luhan looks so relieved Sehun just wants to walk forward and wrap him in his arms forever. 

The worst part is, despite how Sehun was so mad and is still kind of annoyed at Luhan, he still is stupid and in love with Luhan. He’s so in love, in fact, that Luhan beats him five times in soccer, breathless and bright as he bounces about, flashing the soccer ball between his feet and slipping around Sehun before cheering in victory and running about obnoxiously as he scores yet another goal against Sehun. 

“I am amazing!” Luhan jeers as Sehun pants, hands on his knees. 

“You suck,” Sehun says, but grins anyway. 

“Sorry,” Luhan says, grinning as he bites his lower lip, only looking half sorry. 

“I forgive you,” Sehun says, and Luhan beams before slamming into him and tackling him to the ground in a hug. Sehun laughs even as his chest hurts from how it’s so close but not quite there. 

Baekhyun looks to be on the edge of a nervous breakdown. 

Sungyeol, the new barista, looks like the devil incarnate as he watches Baekhyun from the corner of his eye. Sehun is pretty sure the new barista isn’t nearly as incompetent as he pretends to be and almost vocally agrees when Luhan suggests that perhaps Sungyeol’s teasing is for other purposes but decides against it when Baekhyun looks like he’s about to chuck a table. 

“Excuse me while I claw out my eyes,” Baekhyun says and his fingers twitch. “Vanilla Cinnamon Soy Latte?”

“Just a cappuccino,” Luhan says, smiling in apology to Baekhyun. “And I was only joking. He’s not bad looking though.” 

Baekhyun sighs and Sehun notes the really definite lines under Baekhyun’s eyes, along with the weight that seems to be settled on his shoulders. “Not my type,” he says, wincing as Sungyeol drops something. Again. 

Sehun catches the note on Baekhyun’s voice. As far as he knew… “Then what is your type? You always said you like them tall and amusing.” _And that’s basically this new kid in spades._

“He’s not amusing, he’s satanic,” Baekhyun says wearily before blinking at Sehun. “Milk Tea?”

Sehun smiles at Baekhyun. He hopes it’s reassuring. “How do you always know?” Sehun asks and Baekhyun’s mouth quirks. 

“Because I care about you too damn much,” Baekhyun says and ruffles his hair. Sehun lets him. “Please stop me if it looks like I’m about to stab him.”

“With what?” Luhan asks as Baekhyun turns away. 

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun calls as he rounds the counter. “I’ve been known to get extremely creative.” Sungyeol leers from the sink and flashes Sehun a wink. Sehun scowls at him. 

“Well, he did beat Kris to the floor with a pillow,” Luhan concedes. 

Sehun snorts. “I still wish I had been there for that,” he says, turning and smiling at Luhan as the older grins at him. “Goddamn Jongin and his amazingly lucky tim…”

The door opens. 

Joonmyun walks in.

Sehun’s brain shuts down. 

Joonmyun doesn’t seem to notice Sehun or Luhan, both of whom have gone through varying degrees of paralysis, instead shuffling to the counter and catching Baekhyun’s attention, who takes one look at him and has really conflicted emotions fly over his face before he glances at Sehun. 

_Fuck_ says Sehun’s face. 

“Drown me in coffee?” Joonmyun asks and Sehun wants to crawl into a hole. He glances to the side and sees Luhan, who looks like he may have eaten a live octopus that is currently trying to crawl back up his esophagus, fidget with something under the table. 

Sehun looks back at Baekhyun slowly. Baekhyun is talking with Joonmyun easily, even as his movements jerk a little too much and his eyes keep flashing to Sehun in suggestion though Sehun doesn’t know of what. Sungyeol prowls around behind Baekhyun slightly, eyes flickering to Joonmyun. He makes a strange sort of expression before wandering back to the sink and picking up a few coffee mugs, glancing back at Baekhyun and tossing them into the air experimentally before grinning deviously. 

“You’ll see wanted posters soon,” Baekhyun says, finally noticing Sungyeol and moving off to either pummel him or break down entirely as Joonmyun seems to finally register something and turns, his head rotating on his neck before finally settling on Sehun and Luhan. Sehun feels the blood drain from his face as Joonmyun’s faces goes from shock to confusion to annoyance to sadness and then to horribly fake pleasantry. 

“Um, hi,” Joonmyun says, and Sehun knows he’s not being addressed. 

“Hi,” Luhan seems to drag from the back of his throat as his face pulses anxiety. 

Joonmyun seems to shake himself. “Um, sorry, I didn’t think,” Joonmyun says before cutting himself off, eyes flashing over to Sehun before returning to Luhan. “How are you?”

And welcome to the most awkward conversation ever. 

Sehun tries very hard to tune out the buzzing in his ears as Joonmyun asks him briefly how his thesis work had gone on Friday when _Sehun hadn’t come to work and instead moped the entire day._ Sehun lies through his teeth and hopes Joonmyun buys it. He nearly jumps a mile high when Luhan’s phone suddenly explodes in some sort of dubstep thing and the next second Luhan is practically falling over himself, phone glued to his face as he bolts out the door. 

Sungyeol whistles through his teeth. “I like it here,” he says, leering at Baekhyun. “It’s exciting.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Baekhyun snaps and drags a hand down his face in clear exhaustion. 

Sehun tries to swallow as Joonmyun turns to him. “Sorry,” he says and Sehun’s mind briefly calls up the conversation he had with Jongin a few weeks ago. 

_“Do you think Suho would still smile if you killed him? Maybe he’d apologize for dying.”_

Sehun thinks, right now, that Joonmyun probably would. “Why are you apologizing?” Sehun asks as Baekhyun swats away Sungyeol as the other tries to hit him again with a towel. 

“Because that was really awkward,” Joonmyun says, shrugging. “I honestly did not expect to see Luhan here. I didn’t even think that you two might-“ He cuts himself off before sighing. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to ruin whatever plans you guys have. I know you’re friends.” Sehun just stares at Joonmyun as the older gets progressively more uncomfortable. “What?”

“Really?” Sehun asks, raising one eyebrow as high as he can because this is just plain weird. “That’s it?”

“What’s it?” Joonmyun asks, looking confused. 

“You’ve been weird for the past two weeks and moping and not smiling and you see your ex and are totally okay with it?” Sehun blunders through the sentence with the grace of a giraffe. 

Joonmyun sighs. “It wasn't working. You know that, we talked about it.”

Baekhyun suddenly turns from where he’s angrily cleaning coffee filters to stare at Sehun. “You did?!”

“Yeah,” Joonmyun says, turning slightly surprised to Baekhyun. “I’m not 100% surprised we broke it off, not that I’m happy about it, but it certainly is better than having it dissolve into both of us being miserable.”

Baekhyun is staring at Joonmyun is shock and Sehun feels like he’s just been hit in the face. 

“But you’re in love with him!” Sehun blurts out, feeling really lost. 

Joonmyun smiles. “And he isn’t in love with me,” Joonmyun says easily, even as he smiles with a painful edge. “You can’t force someone to love you. They just do.”

“Oh my God, since when are you the realistic one,” Baekhyun mutters from the side right before Sungyeol whips him with a towel and he yelps loudly. _“No!”_ He brandishes a spoon threateningly. 

“So, you’re okay with the break up?” Sehun asks, feeling a really weird tightening in his chest. 

Joonmyun sighs heavily. “I like being dumped as much as the next person, but Luhan clearly wasn’t in love with me. It was like he…” Joonmyun trails off and his eyes go slightly dazed before he whips his head to Sehun. “What about you?”

Sehun has mental whiplash. “What?”

Joonmyun is looking at him with more intensity than Sehun has ever had directed at him. “What about you?” Joonmyun repeats. “You. You and Luhan. Oh my God, that’s it.”

“What?!?” Sehun stammers out, feeling his face heat and entirely give him away. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m an idiot,” Joonmyun laughs out bitterly. “You’re in love with him too!”

Sehun literally just spits sounds. What are words? Do they even exist?

“That would happen,” Joonmyun is laughing with a bitterness that sets Sehun’s teeth on edge. “Of course you’re in love with Luhan.”

“Why is that important!” Sehun snaps out and then snaps his jaw shut. He didn’t mean to admit that. Really, he didn’t. 

“Wow,” Joonmyun says, shaking his head as he smiles painfully at Sehun. “I am a fool.” 

“I don’t get it!” Sehun says as Joonmyun pushes himself away from the counter, shaking his head. 

_“Oh my God, would you stop fucking doing that!"_ Baekhyun yelps, looking frantic as he tries to beat a laughing Sungyeol with a large spoon. “I’m serious!”

 _“Hey,”_ Joonmyun says, voice suddenly stern and making Sehun freeze up and Sungyeol pause, eyes widening slightly as they land on Joonmyun’s extremely serious face. Baekhyun manages to hit him soundly in the side of the head with his spoon, still looking frantic before he looks at Joonmyun and essentially goes slack. Joonmyun has never looked serious. And never this serious. And hot damn is it impressive. “When someone says stop, you stop.” 

Sungyeol looks at Joonmyun with a raised eyebrow. “And you are?”

“Reporting Sexual Harassment if you don’t cut it out,” Joonmyun says with raised eyebrows, voice deadly and Sehun feels a slight shiver run down his back. Joonmyun turns to Baekhyun. “Fire him,” he says, eyes softening as he jerks a thumb at Sehun. “Sehun can help you for the rest of the day. You need a break.”

Joonmyun leaves and Sehun and Baekhyun stare at the door in relative degrees of shock. 

“What the Hell?” Sungyeol says, face disbelieving and Baekhyun hits him in the face with his spoon. 

“Get out,” Baekhyun says, frowning angrily. “Joonmyun’s right. I’m firing you.”

“I just started!” Sungyeol protests, trying to dodge Baekhyun’s spoon. 

_“I don’t care!”_ Baekhyun almost screams and Sehun gets up, moving swiftly behind the counter and wrapping a gentle but firm hand around Baekhyun’s wrist as he tries to beat Sungyeol again. Baekhyun turns swiftly to look at Sehun with shocked eyes that have too much exhaustion in them. 

Sehun doesn’t look at Baekhyun. He glares at Sungyeol. “You heard him,” Sehun says, scowling deeply at the other. “You’re fired. Now get out.”

Sungyeol frowns angrily. “This is bull shit,” he says angrily before looking at Baekhyun, a slightly pleading edge to his eyes. “Baekhyun-“

“Now,” Sehun repeats, his voice firm as Baekhyun shakes slightly under his grip and sags back into his chest. 

Sungyeol glares at him for one more moment before agitatedly ripping off his barista apron and chucking it at the floor. “Fine,” he snaps, making to push past Baekhyun and out of the café but pauses just as he rounds the counter, seeming to ponder something before he turns back, a last flashing look of appeal on his face. “Just, um.” He flashes his gummy smile. “I suppose now would be a bad time to ask if you want to get dinner some time?”

Baekhyun emits a war cry of rage and practically throws himself at the counter towards Sungyeol, who clearly takes the hint and bolts from the café. 

Sehun doesn’t see Luhan the rest of the day. Nor does Sehun see Luhan on Sunday. Instead Sehun helps Kyungsoo keep Baekhyun from going to work and actually get some sleep as the barista finally submits to his exhaustion. 

RumbleMuffins finally is closed for a day and Baekhyun makes death threats at them from his bed, throwing random objects when they get too close to him. 

Sehun wonders for a bit why Luhan hasn't called him when he remembers that he shoved his phone so deeply under his mattress on Saturday morning it may be lost to the abyss that is Sehun’s catastrophic abode. At least he keeps the rest of the house okay. He gets home on Sunday to a few text messages and three missed calls. One from Jongin and two from Luhan. Sehun, exhausted from dodging projectile objects from Baekhyun’s room, flops into bed before reading the messages. 

Sehun opens them the next morning. 

From Luhan: _Hey, sorry for bolting like a frightened deer. :P A friend called and was having really intense problems. Hope the rest of your day went well. Want to get lunch tomorrow?_

From Luhan: _So no lunch? ~O. o~_

From Luhan: _I almost forgot! You’re giving your dissertation this week right? I’ll stop bothering you. I swear. Sehun-ah~ Hwaiting!_

From Jongin: _Can I borrow some sweat pants?_

From Baekhyun: _STOP TRYING TO FEED ME. I AM NOT A DOG. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE._

From Luhan: _Hey. Are you busy tomorrow after classes? I miss you ~_

From Luhan: _Plus, I need someone who is not a model to talk to. Seriously, does anyone have a brain anymore?_

From Luhan: _Kris just punched CL in the face because she insulted Chanyeol. It was epic. Prepare for excessive Chanyeol happiness this morning… Or no Chanyeol. Either way, brace yourself._

From Luhan: _I hate your thesis, by the way._

Sehun frowns at the last message, rolling out of bed and onto the floor with a flump before typing back a responding ‘why?’ Sehun sets his phone on his desk, shuffling off to take a shower. He’s not going to Planet Records this week. He has his dissertation this week. He frowns and goes over his thesis in his head, rattling off the important points and details as he watches soap swirl down the drain. Toweling his hair dry, he walks back into his room to his phone flashing that he has a new message.

From Luhan: _Because I miss you. Duh. As soon as you get your thesis done and the models stop falling over themselves, we’re taking each other to a congratulatory dinner. No arguments._

Sehun stares at his phone and tries to ignore how his breathing doesn’t work and his stomach tries to attach itself to his ribs. 

Sehun’s phone buzzes.

From Luhan: _Sehun-ah~ Hwaiting!_

Sehun drops his phone onto his bed and runs his hands through his sopping hair, breathing through his nose. He is giving his dissertation on Wednesday, dressed proper in front of a panel of his professors and determining the success of his academic career. Today is going to be spent talking with his academic adviser and making sure he is absolutely prepared. Sehun takes steady breaths. 

On Wednesday, Sehun stands before five members of the academic board and a relatively significant number of his peers, fumbling with his note cards and trying not to puncture his lip in his nervousness. He keeps shifting into the glaring beam of the projector and it makes his eyes hurt. His mouth feels dry and his heart is loud in his ears and no number of thumbs up from Zelo in the back is going to help him. His phone feels heavy in his pants pocket.

Sehun hasn't seen Luhan since Saturday. He had messaged Luhan Monday afternoon. Luhan had agreed that they would not see each other until after this mess of a week was over. It gives Sehun a bright ending. Something to look forward to once he gets his academic review on Friday morning and Luhan finishes the joint EXO M and 2NE1 show in the afternoon. 

Sehun wipes his hands on his dress slacks, wetting his lips nervously as he runs over names and dates and months of research data. The clock hits eleven and he smiles, taking a deep breath. “Hello,” Sehun says, smiling at the room. “I’m Oh Sehun, and I’ll be talking to you today about the identity issues and societal impact of the refugee North Korean citizens in South Korean society.” His heart hammers in his chest as his mind thinks ‘two days’.

“You did well,” Sehun’s advisor says. 

“Yeah?” Sehun asks, still slightly breathless as the adrenalin still thrums through his veins. “My lisp wasn’t impossible to understand?”

Professor Lee smiles at him and laughs warmly. “No, it was fine,” he says, clapping a hand to Sehun’s tall shoulder. “Congratulations! You’re done.”

Sehun beams, leaning down and hugging his startled professor without thinking. Professor Lee still slightly in shock and Sehun pulls back, smiling awkwardly and laughing. “Sorry,” he apologizes, and rubs the back of his head. “I’m just, um-“

Professor Lee just laughs and claps Sehun on the back jovially. “Hey, you’re practically graduated. I think we can drop the pretenses.”

Sehun feels lighter than he has in a while. He decides on the way home as the bus nearly throws him into the lap of some old lady, that he’ll talk to Luhan on Friday. Actually talk to him. Finally tell him how he makes Sehun’s world brighter and his heart beat faster and his chest ache and glow simultaneously. Finally tell him that he may have become Sehun’s everything. 

The academic board gives Sehun his review with a smile on Friday morning and Sehun doesn’t open it, instead keeping it clutched in his slightly shaking hands. Zelo shoots him a questioning look and Sehun just shakes his head. “I’m waiting,” he says and doesn’t explain any more. 

At seven, Sehun’s doorbell buzzes and Sehun shoots off the couch so fast he stumbles into the coffee table and bangs his knees painfully. Swearing slightly, he rushes to the door and wrenches it open. Luhan smiles at him, face bright and eyes shining as they take in Sehun’s form. Sehun doesn’t even question the grin that spreads over his face and the feeling filling his chest from the center out. 

“Come on, we’re celebrating,” Luhan says, barely waiting a moment before he’s grabbing Sehun’s hand and dragging him from the apartment with childlike enthusiasm, grinning foolishly as he rushes downstairs and to the waiting cab. He turns to Sehun, slightly breathless, when they’re finally in the cab and holds out his hands. “Well? How did it go?”

Sehun purses his lips. “I don’t know,” he admits and pulls the academic review from behind his back. “I’ve-“ he bites his lip and feels his face color. “I wanted to wait until, um-”

Luhan bites his lip, trying not to laugh at Sehun. “That’s ridiculous,” he says and Sehun laughs at himself faintly. “You’re ridiculous,” he adds before taking the sealed envelope from Sehun and scooting over so he’s seated next to Sehun, pressing warm into his side. He glances at Sehun before ripping the envelope open and taking out the paper inside. They read it together as Sehun holds his breath. 

Luhan lets out a laugh beside him as Sehun feels himself smile ridiculously. “And you were so worried,” Luhan says, turning and beaming at him, still pressed into Sehun’s side pleasantly. 

“Well, it is my entire academic career,” Sehun says breathlessly before taking his eyes off of the glowing comments before him and meeting Luhan’s eyes. His breath catches as that feeling in his chest consumes him and he leans forward, eyes falling shut automatically as he presses his lips against Luhan’s. 

It’s so perfect it hurts. 

The cab goes over a pothole and jerks Sehun from the unbelievable happiness he’s swimming in and he opens his eyes, pulling back and blinking, dragging his lower lip between his teeth and feeling his face color. Luhan is just barely blinking at him, looking slightly dazed and Sehun looks away quickly, fingers fumbling with the academic review and incredibly aware of how Luhan is still resting against his side.

“Sorry,” Sehun says, lisping on the syllables and frowning slightly at his shoes. “I, um, that wasn’t-“

“Sehun.” 

Sehun pauses in his futile search for words, pressing his lips together as he turns to look at Luhan, who is watching him seriously. Luhan’s bright eyes are piercing as they look at Sehun and he doesn’t move away, instead remains against his side. 

“You never would have been my rebound,” Luhan says firmly and Sehun blinks before his frown increases. 

“What are you-“

“You could never be my rebound,” Luhan continues, cutting him off and Sehun doesn't really understand where Luhan is going with this but it makes his chest do weird things. 

“Why not?” Sehun asks, and fidgets with his fingers. 

Luhan cracks a smile. “Because you can never be my rebound when I fell in love with you first,” Luhan says and Sehun’s eyes widen. 

“What?” Sehun breathes, hoping he heard Luhan right. 

“Things never worked with Joonmyun because I was never interested in Joonmyun,” Luhan says, not moving from Sehun’s side. “I could never be really interested in Joonmyun, couldn’t love him, because I was already falling for you. That’s why I broke up with him. You’re not the rebound. You’re the one.”

Sehun feels like his heart is too big for his body as it pounds rapidly. He licks his lips. “Is this how you always confess?” Sehun asks, voice breathless.

“No,” Luhan says, laughing as he blushes slightly. “Everyone else confesses to me. You’re special.”

Sehun smiles and it feels like sunshine. Luhan practically glows beside him. “Good,” Sehun says, and drops his academic report to the floor of the cab, wrapping his arms around Luhan instead. “I don’t want to be like everyone else.” Luhan’s laugh is beautiful as it dances between them and Sehun kisses Luhan again, feeling like nothing could make him happier in the world at this moment. 

Everything is perfect. 

 

~

 

Sehun flops back on the floor with a grunt, wiping sweat from his forehead and wincing at the perspiration and ache in his limbs. “Remind me why I have so much shit?”

Luhan flops down onto the floor next to him, limbs splaying everywhere without a care as Luhan presses his face into Sehun’s ribs. “Because you’re too stubborn to get rid of it,” he mumbles into Sehun’s tank top before propping himself on his elbows and looking at his boyfriend, smiling happily. Sehun smiles and reaches up to run his fingers through Luhan’s messy hair. “I don't know if my apartment can hold half of your childhood.”

“You love me,” Sehun says, feeling his eyes crinkle in happiness as Luhan sticks his tongue out.

“Yeah, mostly,” Luhan says, nudging Sehun with his calf. “Otherwise, I’d never let you on my bed.”

“I must be very special,” Sehun says, throwing on a serious expression. “Beatrice is sacred.”

“You’re the rare exception,” Luhan says, fingers playing with Sehun’s tank absently. 

“What if I hadn’t fallen in love with you,” Sehun muses, fingers gliding through Luhan’s hair absently as Luhan’s eyes trace his neck. “What if you had confessed four months ago and I hadn’t loved you back.”

Luhan snorts. “You would have fallen in love with me eventually,” Luhan retorts. “I’m irresistibly adorable apparently.” He puffs out his cheeks slightly and cocks his head to the side. “No one can resist me.”

Sehun laughs, wrapping Luhan in his arms and pulling the other to him, pressing a kiss to his smiling mouth. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I love you,” Luhan says, resting his chin on Sehun’s shoulder and wrapping his arms around the younger, bright eyes warm. 

Sehun turns so their noses bump and smiles back. “And I you.”

There are no more problems. Only emotions, the most prominent of which is love.

-fin


End file.
